Exploring the Confluence of Savant Syndrome, Asperger’s, and Depression: A Case Study of a Linguistic Genius

Description

Page: 102-107

Khushboo Khare and Preetkamal (Department of Clinical Psychology, NIMS University, Jaipur, Rajasthan)

Savant Syndrome is a rare condition marked by individuals with developmental conditions having exceptional talents in at least one or more fields. A very common intersection of the Savant syndrome has been seen with Asperger’s disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder on the autism spectrum with impairments in domains such as communication, and social interaction, along with narrow interests and repetitive behaviors. It can be comorbid with various psychiatric illnesses such as depressive disorder. This case report aims to assess the unique clinical profile of a 24-year-old male with Savant Syndrome resting on Asperger’s disorder with a current diagnosis of Depression, exhibiting an above-average level of intellectual functioning, and having developed a language of his own in which he writes and reads with fluency. The patient was seen to have moderate levels of depressive symptoms, was screened for autism, and then assessed on a diagnostic tool, showing positive findings. The results showed positive findings for Aspergers Syndrome with the highest impairment in the domains of circumscribed interests, followed by, sensory-motor, and social relatedness respectively on the Ritvo Asperger Autism Diagnostic, with a high intellectual functioning uncovered on an intelligence test. This case report additionally entails the management of symptoms and the current distress experienced by identifying the patient’s unique self-stimulatory behaviors and introducing mindfulness-based modalities over psychotherapeutic sessions.