Extraordinary Variations of the Human Mind: Lessons for Anthropogeny

Co-sponsored by the Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA) and the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind (KIBM)

The human mind is one of the features that makes our species unusual, and any narrative of our origins must include explanations for how our mental facilities were generated by genetic and cultural evolutionary processes. Comparative studies with the minds of other species and direct studies of how the typical human brain creates the mind are valuable approaches. However, many useful clues can also be gleaned from studying extraordinary variations of the human mind. This symposium brings together experts who have pursued in-depth explorations of some of these variations.

Event Sessions

Media for each talk can be played by clicking on icons in the "Media" column, or by clicking on the individual talk titles below and then the attachment file at the bottom of the page.

Date	Media	Session Title	Speakers
Fri 5/5		Welcome	Fred Gage, Salk Institute
Fri 5/5		Our Brains: Life on a Continuum	Daniel Geschwind, University of California, Los Angeles
Fri 5/5		From Genes to Neural Circuits to Behavior & Back Again: Neurogenetic Mechanisms in Williams Syndrome	Karen Berman, National Institutes of Health
Fri 5/5		Language at the Extremes	Simon Fisher, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
Fri 5/5		Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory	James McGaugh, University of California, Irvine
Fri 5/5		The Incredible Savant Syndrome	Darold Treffert, University of Wisconsin (retired)
Fri 5/5		Acquired Savantism in Neurological Conditions	Bruce Miller, University of California, San Francisco
Fri 5/5		Born to be Musical: What We can Learn from Congenital Anomalies	Isabelle Peretz, BRAMS, Université de Montréal
Fri 5/5		Fragments of Genius: Mapping the Mind of a Musical Savant	Adam Ockelford, University of Roehampton
Fri 5/5		Synaesthesia: From Extraordinary Experiences to Enhanced Abilities	Jamie Ward, University of Sussex
Fri 5/5		Question and Answer Session, Closing Remarks	Daniel Geschwind, University of California, Los Angeles Isabelle Peretz, BRAMS, Université de Montréal All Speakers

Event Glossary

A glossary for this event is available as a Searchable List and a PDF.