When Brain Damage Unlocks Genius

[3113]

From here:

Derek Amato stood above the shallow end of the swimming pool and called for his buddy in the Jacuzzi to toss him the football. Then he launched himself through the air, head first, arms outstretched. He figured he could roll onto one shoulder as he snagged the ball, then slide across the water. It was a grave miscalculation. The tips of Amato’s fingers brushed the pigskin—then his head slammed into the pool’s concrete floor...

...Amato’s mother rushed him to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed Amato (a 39-year-old sales trainer) with a severe concussion. They sent him home with instructions to be woken every few hours. It would be weeks before the full impact of Amato’s head trauma became apparent: 35 percent hearing loss in one ear, headaches, memory loss. But the most dramatic consequence appeared just four days after his accident. Amato awoke hazy after near-continuous sleep and headed over to Sturm’s house. As the two pals sat chatting in Sturm’s makeshift music studio, Amato spotted a cheap electric keyboard.

Without thinking, he rose from his chair and sat in front of it. He had never played the piano—never had the slightest inclination to. Now his fingers seemed to find the keys by instinct and, to his astonishment, ripple across them. His right hand started low, climbing in lyrical chains of triads, skipping across melodic intervals and arpeggios, landing on the high notes, then starting low again and building back up. His left hand followed close behind, laying down bass, picking out harmony.

Condition is known as "acquired savant syndrome" and "In the 30 or so known cases, ordinary people who suffer brain trauma suddenly develop almost-superhuman new abilities: artistic brilliance, mathematical mastery, photographic memory."

Percentage-wise it's probably not worth taking a baseball bat to your head, but it's certainly interesting. Also, it's a right-brain sort of thing, meaning it doesn't do us writers any good. The article notes in fact (in regards to some alzheimer's patients): "As dementia laid waste to brain regions associated with language, higher-order processing, and social norms, their artistic abilities exploded." Likewise with savants who have "left-hemispheric damage" but "prodigious artistic, mathematical, and memory skills."

 

[Stella_Omega]

I knew a guy who lost most of his left hemisphere. He went from being an accountant to being a poet. I don't know if he was especially great at accountancy, but he was --no genius, certainly, but pretty decent, as a poet. Got published.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I would rather acquire my super powers from a radioactive spider bite.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Plenty of people get smarter as they age, mostly cuz brains atrophy, killing connections that inhibit neuronal groups from doing their thang. Every neuron that dies isnt wasted gray matter. Plenty unleash hidden potential.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I'd love to be able to play keyboard but I'm not risking my head to do it. Lucky 'break', indeed.

 

[sr71plt]

I often did beat my head against the piano while taking piano lessons.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Plenty of people get smarter as they age, mostly cuz brains atrophy, killing connections that inhibit neuronal groups from doing their thang. Every neuron that dies isnt wasted gray matter. Plenty unleash hidden potential.

Huh. Now that is a really interesting concept. can you recommend research?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Huh. Now that is a really interesting concept. can you recommend research?

http://www.uofmhealth.org/news/mbni-brain-0621

 

[Stella_Omega]

Neat-o, thanks!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Neat-o, thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovHv3yZM4KE

This is the god who knows it all about brain science.

 

[Bramblethorn]

If you're interested in this sort of stuff, I strongly recommend Oliver Sacks' books on neurology. An Anthropologist on Mars and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat are good starting points.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

HERES ANOTHER SMARTIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiBKjFXHs3I

Calvin has a controversial theory about race that makes some people crazee.

 

[Stella_Omega]

If you're interested in this sort of stuff, I strongly recommend Oliver Sacks' books on neurology. An Anthropologist on Mars and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat are good starting points.

I know him well-- reading, I mean, not personally...

JIMMY when you start spelling words with "Z's" and double "E's" that's when I know not to bother.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I know him well-- reading, I mean, not personally...

JIMMY when you start spelling words with "Z's" and double "E's" that's when I know not to bother.

Just giving you a heads up alert! Calvin has a THANG about static climate suppressing intelligence.

 

[mynameisben]

I've taken an awful lot of blows to the head, but no one ever invited Me to a mensa party.

 

[sr71plt]

I've taken an awful lot of blows to the head, but no one ever invited Me to a mensa party.

But can you play the piano?

 

[Stella_Omega]

Just giving you a heads up alert! Calvin has a THANG about static climate suppressing intelligence.

The "spare the environmental rod, spoil the evolving ape" theory, huh. Meh. I'm more inclined to an epigentic link, if any. Intelligence just keeps on getting expressed, in the weirdest places...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

And by the most unlikely species . . . like yours for example. Mine goes without saying.

 

[sunandshadow]

Huh. Now that is a really interesting concept. can you recommend research?

There's also a book called the secret strengths of the middle-aged brain or hidden strengths of the middle-aged brain; something like that. A nice read for anyone feeling not as sharp as they were at 20 (i.e. me).

 

[ishtat]

But can you play the piano?

When I was an undergraduate (studying Mathematics) my lecture/tutorial load was fairly light and in order to make a little extra money I taught piano. As I did this during term time and in the day rather than the evening, all my students were adults, mainly ladies.

Over three years I discovered that the primary interests of one or two of my pupils were not entirely musical.

 

[NekoParks]

I once bumped my head at a Holiday Inn Express.... now I'm a whiz at that Operation game...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

When I was an undergraduate (studying Mathematics) my lecture/tutorial load was fairly light and in order to make a little extra money I taught piano. As I did this during term time and in the day rather than the evening, all my students were adults, mainly ladies.

Over three years I discovered that the primary interests of one or two of my pupils were not entirely musical.

I had similar experiences doing psychotherapy.