Mental Abilities: Genius, Savant and Autism

1. Explain in detail what "savant syndrome" means.

Savants are people who although they have serious mental or physical disability have quite remarkable talents. Savant syndrome is perhaps one of the most fascinating phenomena in the study of human differences and cognitive psychology.

(http://www.psy.dmu.ac.uk/drhiles/Savant%20Syndrome.htm)
2. What does genius mean?  Explain the difference between genius and savant.

GENIUS (noun)
  The noun GENIUS has 5 senses:

1. Someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
2. Unusual mental ability
3. Someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
4. Exceptional creative ability
5. A natural talent

(http://www.audioenglish.net/dictionary/genius.htm)

When you’re a savant you have some kind of a handicap or some kind of a disability, and when you are a genius you don’t have a disability.
3. What is a stroke and how could it affect your mental functioning?

A Stroke is an acute medical emergency. Stroke (also called "Brain Attack") is a disease of the circulatory system caused by the rupturing or the blockage of an artery. Depending on where the rupture or blocked artery leads, this part of the brain does not get oxygen. This can result in permanent brain damage, disability and sometimes death.
(http://www.womensheart.org/content/stroke/what_is_a_stroke.asp)

4. What is a functional MRI and how does it help us understand brain activity?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.

(http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=fmribrain)

5. What is the corpus callosum and what role does it play in your brain's activity?

The corpus callosum (Latin: tough body), also known as the colossal commissure, is a wide, flat bundle of neural fibers beneath the cortex in the eutherian brain at the longitudinal fissure. It connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres and facilitates interhemispheric communication. It is the largest white matter structure in the brain, consisting of 200–250 million contralateral axonal projections.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_callosum

6. What is epilepsy and how might it affect your brain's abilities?

Epilepsy is a brain disorder involving repeated, spontaneous seizures of any type. Seizures ("fits," convulsions) are episodes of disturbed brain function that cause changes in attention or behavior. They are caused by abnormally excited electrical signals in the brain.

http://www.righthealth.com/topic/What_Is_Epilepsy#ixzz1FsM1fAid

7. What is autism?

Autism is a severe developmental disorder that affects the way a child sees and interacts with the rest of the world. It limits their ability to interact with others socially, in fact many autism suffers avoid human contact.

http://www.autism-pdd.net/what-is-autism.html

8. What is Asperger's Syndrome?

Asperger syndrome or Asperger's syndrome or Asperger disorder ( /ˈɑspɚɡɚz/[1]) is an autism spectrum disorder that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome