The relationship between giftedness and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) is a topic of increasing interest in neuroscience and psychology research. Giftedness, characterized by a high intelligence quotient (IQ), and AS, a form of high-functioning autism, share some phenotypic characteristics, such as restricted interests, hyperfocus, and socialization difficulties.
Although giftedness and AS are distinct conditions, recent studies have shown that they may share genetic bases. Research by Savage et al. (2018) identified 859 genes that, although not directly linked to intelligence, are related to functional variants that influence the development of the nervous system. In addition, neuroimaging studies have revealed similarities in brain structure and function of gifted individuals with AS, particularly in areas associated with cognitive and social processing.
It is important to emphasize that not all gifted individuals have AS characteristics, and not all individuals with AS are gifted. However, the identification of shared traits and the possibility of a common genetic basis suggest that giftedness and AS may represent points in a broader spectrum of neurological development.
Refereencia:
AGRELA RODRIGUES, Fabiano de Abreu; BANASKIWITZ, Natalie Helene van Cleef. Shared traits in giftedness and Asperger Syndrome: an original article and also narrative review. Pedagogical notebook, v. 16, no. 1, pp. 54-65, 2019.
