“the tiniest violin”: Salamone, “Prodigy Jourdan Urbach Is Maestro of Kids’ Charity Drive.”
“dramatically illustrated”: Ilnytzky, “Jefferson Awards 2012,” quoting Arney Rosenblat.
In 2002, Tania Barkat: At the time, her name was Tania Rinaldi. The details of Tania’s work come from telephone interviews with Tania Barkat conducted on June 4 and Sept. 11, 2015; and Maia Szalavitz, “The Boy Whose Brain Could Unlock Autism,” Matter, Dec. 11, 2013.
Human Brain Project: Mark Honigsbaum, “Human Brain Project: Henry Markram Plans to Spend €1bn Building a Perfect Model of the Human Brain,” Guardian, Oct. 15, 2013; Tim Requarth, “Bringing a Virtual Brain to Life,” New York Times, March 18, 2013.
It turned out that the brains: For more on this research and some of the follow-up studies, see Henry Markram, Tania Rinaldi, and Kamila Markram, “The Intense World Syndrome—an Alternative Hypothesis for Autism,” Frontiers in Neuroscience 1, no. 1 (2007); Tania Rinaldi et al., “Elevated NMDA Receptor Levels and Enhanced Postsynaptic Long-Term Potentiation Induced by Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104, no. 33 (2007): 13501–6; Tania Rinaldi, Filad Silberberg, and Henry Markram, “Hyperconnectivity of Local Neocortical Microcircuitry Induced by Prenatal Exposure to Valproic Acid,” Cerebral Cortex 18, no. 4 (2008): 763–70; Kamila Markram et al., “Abnormal Fear Conditioning and Amygdala Processing in an Animal Model of Autism,” Neuropsychopharmacology 33, no. 4 (2008): 901–12; Kamila Markram and Henry Markram, “The Intense World Theory—a Unifying Theory of the Neurobiology of Autism,” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 4, no. 224 (2010); Mônica R. Favre et al., “Predictable Enriched Environment Prevents Development of Hyper-Emotionality in the VPA Rat Model of Autism,” Frontiers in Neuroscience 9, no. 127 (2015).
It’s yet to be proved: Szalavitz, “Boy Whose Brain Could Unlock Autism”; Anna Remington and Uta Frith, “Intense World Theory Raises Intense Worries,” Spectrum, Jan. 21, 2014.
“emotional barometer”: “Autism, Empathy, and Understanding,” MOM—Not Otherwise Specified, Oct. 28, 2013, comment by Jennifer, posted on Oct. 28, 2013.
“mood ring”: Ibid., comment by Bailzebub, posted on Oct. 29, 2013. See also Liane Kupferberg Carter, “Autism and Empathy,” Huffington Post, May 17, 2013.
“emotional tornadoes”: John Scott Holman, “Interview: Henry and Kamila Markram About the Intense World Theory for Autism,” WrongPlanet.net, Jan. 6, 2012, comment by SpatialEd, Jan. 7, 2012 (comments have been removed from site).
a woman felt as if: “Autism, Empathy, and Understanding,” MOM—Not Otherwise Specified, Oct. 28, 2013, comment by Aimee, Nov. 7, 2013.
“like an exposed nerve”: Holman, “Interview: Henry and Kamila Markram About the Intense World Theory for Autism,” comment by AsteroidNap, Jan. 10, 2012 (comments have been removed from site).
“go into sensory lock down”: Holman, “Interview: Henry and Kamila Markram About the Intense World Theory for Autism,” comment by Awiddershinlife, Jan. 6, 2012 (comments have been removed from site).
As one individual put it: Holman, “Interview: Henry and Kamila Markram About the Intense World Theory for Autism,” comment by Matt1988, Jan. 11, 2012 (comments have been removed from site).
“unquestionably endowed”: Kanner, “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact,” 247.
“a high level of original thought”: Asperger, “‘Autistic Psychopathy’ in Childhood,” 37.
A late 1970s study: Bernard Rimland, “Inside the Mind of the Autistic Savant,” Psychology Today, Aug. 1978, 69–80. For an academic account of this work, see Rimland and Fein, “Special Talents of Autistic Savants.” For a more recent, higher estimate of the prevalence of savant skills among autists, see Meilleur, “Prevalence of Clinically and Empirically Defined Talents and Strengths in Autism.”
Her 1991 translation: Asperger, “‘Autistic Psychopathy’ in Childhood.” A detailed account of Asperger’s work was written by Lorna Wing and published in 1981. See “Asperger’s Syndrome: A Clinical Account,” Psychological Medicine 11, no. 1 (1981): 115–29.
“Able autistic individuals”: Asperger, “‘Autistic Psychopathy’ in Childhood,” 88–89.
But some researchers questioned: See Wing, “Asperger’s Syndrome”; Feinstein, History of Autism.
Even before the DSM-5 was issued: For an overview, see Miller et al., “Autism Spectrum Disorder Reclassified.” See also Silberman, Neurotribes.
A 2006 review study: See Meredyth Goldberg Edelson, “Are the Majority of Children with Autism Mentally Retarded? A Systematic Evaluation of the Data,” Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 21, no. 2 (2006): 66–83. For additional discussion of this issue, see Markram and Markram, “Intense World Theory.”
Another study found: Tony Charman et al., “IQ in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Data from the Special Needs and Autism Project (SNAP),” Psychological Medicine 41, no. 3 (2011): 619–27.
Another line of research: Michelle Dawson et al., “The Level and Nature of Autistic Intelligence,” Psychological Science 18, no. 8 (2007): 657–62. See also Sven Bölte, Isabel Dziobek, and Fritz Poustka, “Brief Report: The Level and Nature of Autistic Intelligence Revisited,” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 39, no. 4 (2009): 678–82.
The executive function theory: For reviews of the literature on executive dysfunction, see Elizabeth Pellicano, “The Development of Executive Function in Autism,” Autism Research and Treatment 2012, Article ID 146132 (2012); and Elisabeth L. Hill, “Evaluating the Theory of Executive Dysfunction in Autism,” Developmental Review 24, no. 2 (2004): 189–233.
The weak central coherence theory: See, for example, Happé and Frith, “Weak Coherence Account.”
The new theory emphasized: Simon Baron-Cohen, “Autism: The Empathizing-Systemizing (E-S) Theory,” Year in Cognitive Neuroscience 1156 (2009): 68–80. For an excellent overview of the evolution of these theories from an insider’s perspective, see Frith, “Why We Need Cognitive Explanations of Autism.”
These researchers think: For a review of this research, particularly that focused on individuals diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, see Rueda, Fernández-Berrocal, and Schonert-Reichl, “Empathic Abilities and Theory of Mind in Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome.” For more information on Simon Baron-Cohen’s perspective on the cognitive/affective empathy divide, see his TEDxHousesofParliament talk, “The Erosion of Empathy,” and his book, The Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty (New York: Basic Books, 2011).
The drive to systematize: Baron-Cohen, Science of Evil; Simon Baron-Cohen, “Autism—‘Autos’: Literally, a Total Focus on the Self?,” in The Lost Self: Pathologies of the Brain and Identity, ed. Todd E. Feinberg and Julian Paul Keenan (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005).
These new and revised theories: This isn’t an exhaustive discussion of the cognitive theories of autism. For another particularly interesting theory, see Laurent Mottron et al., “Enhanced Perceptual Functioning in Autism: An Update, and Eight Principles of Autistic Perception,” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 36, no. 1 (2006): 27–43.
Chapter 8: Another Path to Prodigy
Though it’s highly heritable: See, for example, Sven Sandin et al., “The Familial Risks of Autism,” Journal of the American Medical Association 311, no. 17 (2014): 1770–77.
Similarly, some studies: For a discussion of environmental factors potentially linked to autism, see Rodney R. Dietert, Janice M. Dietert, and Jamie C. Dewitt, “Environmental Risk Factors for Autism,” Emerging Health Threats Journal 4 (2011).
Some scientists have proposed: Pauline Chaste and Marion Leboyer, “Autism Risk Factors: Genes, Environment, and Gene-Environment Interactions,” Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience 14, no. 3 (2012): 281–92. For a specific example of a potential gene-environment interaction, see Heather E. Volk et al
., “Interaction of the MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Gene and Air Pollution Exposure in Autism Spectrum Disorder,” Epidemiology 25, no. 1 (2014): 44–47.
Josh Tiessen was born in Russia: The events in this chapter described by Julie Tiessen come from telephone interviews conducted on Oct. 14 and 15, 2014, and June 10, 2015 (with occasional input from the rest of the family); and e-mail. In addition, Julie provided photographs and a written summary of Josh’s development. The events in this chapter described by Valerie Jones come from a telephone interview conducted on Jan. 17, 2015. Josh’s story was also drawn from his Web site; his article, “The Gift of Art Can Make the World a Better Place,” International Student Leaders: Students Globally, Learning to Lead, ed. Ken Swan (Doctrina Education, Issue 2, 2014); and various news reports, including Alyice Edrich, “An Interview with Teen Emerging Artist, Josh Tiessen,” EmptyEasel.com, Sept. 19, 2012; Conrad Collaco, “Stoney Creek Teen’s Painting Hangs in the National Gallery,” CBC News, June 1, 2012; Barrie Doyle, “Teen Artist Gets Advice from Canadian Painter,” Christian Week, Sept. 2010; “Young Artist’s Works Inspired by His Travels Around the World,” Burlington Post, April 13, 2007; Leonard Turnevicius, “Sit Back and Watch the Music Come to Life,” Hamilton Spectator, July 4, 2013; Sarah Murrell, “An Art Prodigy,” Voice of Pelham, May 1, 2013; Tyler Fyfe, “Painting Change—Joshua Tiessen,” FreshPrintMagazine.com, March 3, 2014; and “Stoney Creek Studio Stroll Returns,” Stoney Creek News, May 30, 2013.
Art Gallery of Burlington: At the time, it was called the Burlington Art Centre.
Josh got his big break: Robert Bateman to Josh Tiessen, Feb. 1, 2010, e-mail, provided by Julie Tiessen.
Doug had been diagnosed: For more information about the Tiessens’ medical situation, see Jeff Mahoney, “Stoney Creek Family All Diagnosed with Lyme Disease,” Hamilton Spectator, Aug. 29, 2014.
Zac’s childhood looked: The details of Zac’s development come from Julie Tiessen and Valerie Jones, as well as photographs, a written summary of Zac’s development, and medical reports provided by Julie. Zac’s story was also drawn from his Web site and various news reports, including Cory Ruf, “Identified as Arts Prodigies, Ontario Brothers Now Contributing to Science,” CBC News, March 8, 2013; Laura Lennie, “Musical Blessings,” Stoney Creek News, Dec. 11, 2013; and Joanna Frketich, “Child Prodigies to Take Part in Innovation Conference,” Hamilton Spectator, July 4, 2013.
It wasn’t until Joanne: For more on how the Tiessens and Joanne connected Zac’s concussion with his music abilities, see Ruf, “Identified as Art Prodigies.”
“Please fix that”: David Henry Feldman, “Child Prodigies: Ancient Tradition, Recent Research” (presentation, New York University Langone Medical Center, Child Study Center, New York, April 5, 2012), slides provided by Feldman. Additional information on Feldman’s NYU talk and grant application come from a telephone interview with him conducted on June 26, 2014; and e-mail.
These individuals are known: Treffert, “Savant Registry.” In an April 2, 2015, telephone interview, Treffert said he thought that the 10 percent figure might actually be conservative.
He envisioned pi: For Jason’s take on his story, see Jason Padgett and Maureen Seaberg, Struck by Genius (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014).
Alonzo Clemons fell: William E. Schmidt, “Gifted Retardates: The Search for Clues to Mysterious Talent,” New York Times, July 12, 1983; Treffert, Islands of Genius. To see Alonzo sculpting, see Ingenious Minds, “Sculpting Prodigy,” Science Channel; and Beautiful Minds.
“as his personality crying”: Rob Lammie, “The Amazing Stories of 6 Sudden Savants,” Mental Floss, June 29, 2010. For more on Tommy McHugh, see “Ex–Street Fighter, 60, Turned into a Fanatical Artist by a Brain Haemorrhage That Physically Altered His Mind,” Daily Mail, March 15, 2010; Helen Thomson, “Mindscapes: Stroke Turned Ex-Con into Rhyming Painter,” New Scientist, May 10, 2013; and “Creative Side Unlocked by Stroke,” BBC News, June 21, 2004.
he also displayed impressive: T. L. Brink, “Idiot Savant with Unusual Mechanical Ability: An Organic Explanation,” American Journal of Psychiatry 137, no. 2 (1980): 250–51.
Others had already observed: Rimland, “Inside the Mind of the Autistic Savant.”
A psychologist examining: Brink, “Idiot Savant with Unusual Mechanical Ability,” 251.
It was a line: Bruce L. Miller et al., “Enhanced Artistic Creativity with Temporal Lobe Degeneration,” Lancet 348, no. 904 (1996): 1744–45. For later, related works, see Bruce L. Miller et al., “Emergence of Artistic Talent in Frontotemporal Dementia,” Neurology 51, no. 4 (1998): 978–82; and Bruce L. Miller et al., “Functional Correlates of Musical and Visual Ability in Frontotemporal Dementia,” British Journal of Psychiatry 176, no. 5 (2000): 458–63.
One such individual: For more on this man, see Sheri Fink, “The Search for the Origins of Humankind’s Creativity,” Oregonian, July 1, 1998; and Graham Phillips, “The Scourge of Genius,” Sunday Telegraph, Feb. 15, 1998.
Miller and his colleagues eventually: Miller et al., “Functional Correlates of Musical and Visual Ability in Frontotemporal Dementia.”
“that somehow a disease”: Rob Stein, “Patients’ New Gift Paints Clearer Image of Disease,” Washington Post, Oct. 26, 1998.
Miller and his colleagues discovered: Miller et al., “Functional Correlates of Musical and Visual Ability in Frontotemporal Dementia.”
Researchers put forward a flurry: For an overview of these theories, see Darold A. Treffert and Daniel D. Christensen, “Inside the Mind of a Savant,” Scientific American, Dec. 2005.
Allan W. Snyder: Information in this chapter on the experiments in which Allan Snyder and his colleagues attempted to induce skills comes from a telephone interview with Allan Snyder conducted on June 29, 2015; and academic articles, including Allan W. Snyder et al., “Savant-Like Skills Exposed in Normal People by Suppressing the Left Fronto-temporal Lobe,” Journal of Integrative Neuroscience 2, no. 2 (2003): 149–58; Jason Gallate et al., “Reducing False Memories by Magnetic Pulse Stimulation,” Neuroscience Letters 449 (2009): 151–54; Allan Snyder, “Savant-Like Numerosity Skills Revealed in Normal People by Magnetic Pulses,” Perception 35 (2006): 837–45; Allan Snyder, “Explaining and Inducing Savant Skills: Privileged Access to Lower Level, Less-Processed Information,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 364 (2009): 1399–405; and Richard P. Chi and Allan W. Snyder, “Brain Stimulation Enables the Solution of an Inherently Difficult Problem,” Neuroscience Letters 515, no. 2 (2012): 121–24.
the classic example: Oliver Sacks, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (New York: Summit Books, 1985).
Or maybe that inner savant: For discussion of this point, see Robyn L. Young, Michael C. Ridding, and Tracy L. Morrell, “Switching Skills On by Turning Off Part of the Brain,” Neurocase 10, no. 3 (2004): 215–22.
But a 2004 study: Ibid.
in one other small study: Chi and Snyder, “Brain Stimulation Enables the Solution of an Inherently Difficult Problem.”
After all, the ratio: Treffert, Islands of Genius. A preliminary report generated using Treffert’s savant registry found that the gender breakdown among acquired savants is also lopsided. See Treffert, “Savant Registry.”
There’s a similar gender breakdown: Among Bruce Miller’s frontotemporal patients who gained skills following the onset of the disease, five of the seven were men (the split was closer to even among patients who maintained visual or musical abilities they had before the onset of dementia). See Miller et al., “Functional Correlates of Musical and Visual Ability in Frontotemporal Dementia.”
Studies have found: See, for example, S. Baron-Cohen et al., “Elevated Fetal Steroidogenic Activity in Autism,” Molecular Psychiatry 20, no. 3 (2015): 369–76.
“perhaps surprising”: Berit Brogaard, Simo Vanni, and Juha Silvanto, “Seeing Mathematics: Perceptual Experience and Brain Activity in Acquired Synesth
esia,” Neurocase 19, no. 6 (2013): 566–75.
There have been similarly puzzling: Nathalie Boddaert et al., “Autism: Functional Brain Mapping of Exceptional Calendar Capacity,” British Journal of Psychiatry 187, no. 1 (2005): 83–86.
An fMRI of George Widener: This fMRI was conducted as part of a PBS program, not an academic study. See “Mystery of the Savant Brain,” Nova, transcript of episode that aired Oct. 24, 2012, quoting Joy Hirsch.
The savants who demonstrated: For a discussion of why this pattern might arise in math savants, see Brogaard, Vanni, and Silvanto, “Seeing Mathematics.”
The Prodigy's Cousin Page 27
