title: Neuropsychological functioning of an Asperger child with exceptional skill in arranging picture stories.
abstract: A striking special ability in arranging picture stories was reported in an Asperger child (C.M.) showing an exceptional performance on Wechsler picture arrangement subtest. Neuropsychological examination did not disclose visuoperceptual and spatial defects, or working memory, attention and executive disorders, but revealed an attentional bias towards local details of complex structures. A specific assessment of C.M.'s understanding of picture stories demonstrated that, with respect to normal controls, he showed an enhanced ability to detect causal links among elements of a story. These findings provide support to the hypothesis that savantism can be related to strong systemizing in autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy. massimiliano.conson@unina2.it
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conson
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salzano
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grossi
mesh_terms: D001076:Aptitude / Q000502:physiology*; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests