Beautiful Minds The Einstein Effect 5/5

Synopsis
A fascinating look at the relationship between genius and autism, with particular focus on the phenomenon of savants; a small group of enigmatic talents with extraordinary mental abilities.

Savants number less than 100 worldwide. Some can work out five-digit multiplication in their heads, or recite thousands of books by heart. Others can play a piano melody after hearing it only once. Over half of savants are autistic; others develop these super human talents only after brain injury.

With scientists now able to see billions of neurons at work in the brain, experts are now investigating whether it is in fact a defect that turns a person into a genius. Could the giant minds of the past - from Newton, to Mozart, to Albert Einstein have been autistic?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Beautiful
• Minds
• Little
• Matter
• of
• Gender
• genius
• savants
• neurology
• science
• kim
• peek
• daniel
• tammet

[lennic95]

It's so sad to learn that neurons disappear in teenage years. I feel like going out and doing everything now.

[Jcolinsol]

Why do I get the feeling that a hundred years from now scientists are going to be looking back on this and laughing out how ridiculous our notions of brain science are. Not unlike the way that we look back at phrenology, today.

[Ralph6485]

the brain is nothing more than an objectification of the mind -that is, the mirror in which the mind reflects itself. 'Monks meditate'

[BarkyDarks]

I wish I knew what I'm good at

[ImNotALemon]

@lennic95 It's not the neurons disappearing but rather the connections between them. From ten to twenty about two thirds of axons are pruned from the brain, but this just makes it a whole lot more precise.

[Zee96969696]

that last song was pretty good

[longfootbuddy]

@lennic95 in fact, dont believe anything those fools tell you

[longfootbuddy]

@Jcolinsol scientists always think they are at the top of the mountain.. dont try to use logic with them

[longfootbuddy]

@lennic95 dont believe everything they tell you

[ninjatoothpaste]

@ninjatoothpaste for more on that - it causes atrophy of the brain in the long term (causes isn't really the right word but you get what I mean :)

[ninjatoothpaste]

@ninjatoothpaste Doctors told me that my brain would either repair/compensate or it wouldn't. I learned a great deal of neuroscience and biology, came up with my own theories and predictions and then researched medications - that combination worked for me, it worked even more effectively than I expected - it actually has allowed me to jump up 10 IQ points within 6 weeks of treatment, I'm continuing the treatment to see where it will end. I have major depressive disorder - see Sapolsky lectures

[ninjatoothpaste]

@lennic95 If you take SNRIs you slow the atrophy of neuronal networks, add something like modafinil to that to boost neuroplasticity and dopamine for motivation and creativity, then maybe boost thyroid output slightly (levothyroxine) which increases basal metabolic rate, neurogenesis (creation of new neurons) and neuromaturation - that's what I did to chemically speed up my recovery (memory and balance problems from seizures and inner ear infection respectively), it worked despite doctors advice