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Author Topic: Acquired Savant Syndrome  (Read 3844 times)

makattak

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Acquired Savant Syndrome
« on: April 24, 2014, 03:00:27 PM »
Do you recall in the old looney tunes or Abbot and Costello movies or the like where someone takes a blow to the head and becomes a genius?

It's not just a funny plot device, apparently.

http://nypost.com/2014/04/20/how-a-brain-injury-turned-a-college-dropout-into-a-genius/

Not an idiot to start with, but a beating suddenly made him into a math genius. One of 40 such identified people. (According to the article.)

So, it's possible a concussion will give you super powers... at least super mental powers.

However, at the odds of 40 our of 5 billion (I'm not going to guess at the number of people who have taken a blow to the head), I'm not about to attempt to replicate the results.

However, the one I found most interesting was the guy struck by lightning who suddenly became a pianist.
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Regolith

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2014, 03:42:01 PM »
Quote from: makattak on April 24, 2014, 03:00:27 PM
However, the one I found most interesting was the guy struck by lightning who suddenly became a pianist.

I remember watching a show on TV, Nova or something like that, where a guy hit his head in the pool after diving into the shallow-end and ended up the same way. Could play the piano like he'd been doing it since birth, even though he had never touched one before.

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fifth_column

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2014, 04:13:03 PM »
Considering how many times I hit my head growing up I'm lucky to be able to tie my shoes.  If I was to gain some new skill after smacking my head, with my luck I'd end up becoming some kind of underwater basket weaving guru, or genius dog anus gland squeezer, or something . . .
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HankB

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2014, 04:21:01 PM »
I have access to a blunt instrument . . . and I'm willing to try to make our elected officials smarter . . .  >:D
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vaskidmark

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2014, 04:30:59 PM »
Quote from: HankB on April 24, 2014, 04:21:01 PM
I have access to a blunt instrument . . . and I'm willing to try to make our elected officials smarter . . .  >:D

We will have none of that.  Get back to your proper place in the line.

stay safe.
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cordex

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2014, 05:10:05 PM »
I hit my head pretty hard falling out of a tree when I was younger and was rendered unconscious for a day or so.  I definitely didn't get any smarter.
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Tallpine

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2014, 05:15:58 PM »
Quote from: cordex on April 24, 2014, 05:10:05 PM
I hit my head pretty hard falling out of a tree when I was younger and was rendered unconscious for a day or so.  I definitely didn't get any smarter.

You're still falling out of trees  ???
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2014, 05:19:15 PM »
Been some pretty good Discovery/Science Channel specials on savant syndrome.  There were a couple of people they profiled with acquired savant syndrome.  One guy had a wreck or something.  Went from not being able to carry a tune in a bucket to musical machine.  Another was a lady who I think had a stroke.  From no artistic ability to prolific painter.

Brad
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BobR

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2014, 06:38:02 PM »
Quote
genius dog anus gland squeezer

The genius part of that would be to stay away from dogs that need their anal glands squeezed!!!!    ;)


bob
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BlueStarLizzard

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2014, 06:47:27 PM »
I've been hit on the head so many times, but it seems I am not one of the lucky few. :(

The best was the soccer ball punted straight into the side of my head. I actually felt myself weaving from side to side on the way down. I thought the soccer coach was going to wet himself and the guy who punted the ball was nearly crying.
If there was any justice in this world, I would have become a soccer savaint after that.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2014, 08:23:55 PM »
"Doctor, after this operation, will I be able to play the violin?"
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grampster

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2014, 11:05:05 PM »
I took a blow to the head and was struck by lightning.  Probably why I signed up for this forum.  Does that make me a jeenyus?
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Perd Hapley

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2014, 11:07:27 PM »
Oh, wait. I just realized that the title of this thread/syndrome is obviously a joke. 

 :facepalm:  Guess I have A.S.S.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2014, 11:19:26 PM »
Quote from: fistful on April 24, 2014, 11:07:27 PM
Oh, wait. I just realized that the title of this thread/syndrome is obviously a joke. 

 :facepalm:  Guess I have A.S.S.

Would you believe that the acronym really IS a coincidence? I know, around this bunch it's tough, but on this one rare occassion...

Brad
« Last Edit: April 25, 2014, 09:29:03 AM by Brad Johnson »
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RocketMan

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #14 on: April 25, 2014, 12:57:23 AM »
After my last blow to the head I figured out how to stop peeing on my shoes.  I guess that's something.
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Scout26

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #15 on: April 25, 2014, 01:54:36 AM »
So you sit down now to pee?

 :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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fifth_column

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #16 on: April 25, 2014, 01:11:49 PM »
He takes off his shoes first . . .
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RevDisk

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #17 on: April 25, 2014, 01:14:44 PM »

Makes sense. Intelligence is basically how your brain is wired for certain things. Blows to the head can damage your brain, causing new wiring. More likely to make you stupid or get seizures, but sometimes you get lucky and get positive results. Same thing with evolution. Lots of bad mutations, some good. 
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fifth_column

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #18 on: April 25, 2014, 01:25:37 PM »
Quote from: RevDisk on April 25, 2014, 01:14:44 PM
Makes sense. Intelligence is basically how your brain is wired for certain things. Blows to the head can damage your brain, causing new wiring. More likely to make you stupid or get seizures, but sometimes you get lucky and get positive results. Same thing with evolution. Lots of bad mutations, some good. 

Same concept as electro-shock therapy, as I understand it.
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No American citizen should be willing to accept a government that uses its power against its own people.  -  Catherine Engelbrecht

Ben

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #19 on: April 25, 2014, 02:04:57 PM »
My problem is that I can't stop getting hit on the head. I get hit on the head and get smarter, then almost immediately get hit again and become a dummy. Kinda like Gilligan and the radio in his mouth.
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RocketMan

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Re: Acquired Savant Syndrome
« Reply #20 on: April 25, 2014, 07:46:43 PM »
Quote from: fifth_column on April 25, 2014, 01:11:49 PM
He takes off his shoes first . . .

There you go.  But now I have trouble finding my shoes.
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If there really was intelligent life on other planets, we'd be sending them foreign aid.

Conservatives see George Orwell's "1984" as a cautionary tale.  Progressives view it as a "how to" manual.

My wife often says to me, "You are evil and must be destroyed." She may be right.

Liberals believe one should never let reason, logic and facts get in the way of a good emotional argument.
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