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UNDER THE MICROSCOPE:ALTHOUGH SAVANT syndrome is not an officially recognised medical diagnosis, Darold Treffert, an American research psychiatrist, who was a consultant for the film Rain Man, defines the savant syndrome as “a rare condition in which persons with developmental disorders have one or more areas of expertise, ability or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual’s overall limitations”.

John Langdon Down (1828-1896) was the first to describe the savant syndrome (he is also known for his description of Down syndrome). Down used the term “idiot savant” to describe the condition and this terminology was used until well into the 20th century. Back then, the term “idiot” was accepted within the scientific community to describe a person with an IQ below 20. That term is now unacceptable because it offends personal dignity, but it is also technically incorrect, since almost all cases of savant syndrome have IQs above 40.