Some people find that synesthesia can offer some benefits such as assisting with memory and learning, but others might feel that their form of synesthesia is a small inconvenience, such as experiencing an unpleasant taste or smell. To make sense of this, let’s talk about some brain stuff. The different types of synesthesia are defined by the associated senses. For those who maintain that females are more likely to have synesthetic experiences, they generally conclude that the degree of prevalence is much less than previously thought. So, 12 o'clock has a set location, as does 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, etc. It is highly unlikely, however, that two persons with this form of synesthesia have very many of the same associations. Scientific data to support this is lacking, however.

Kiku. Of all the types of synesthesia which have been identified so far, Grapheme-color synesthesia is one of the most prevalent and most studied. As another example, spatial sequence synesthetes might perceive the time on a clock as located in the specific points in the space around them. There are numerous types of synesthesia, some estimates say that at least 85 types have been recorded. While it may not be possible to eliminate the condition, coping strategies can be learned. For instance, a phone ringing, the sound produced by someone walking, a baby’s cry will all trigger the image of a certain color.

Types of Synesthesia. Because there are different forms of synesthesia, it can feel differently from person to person, and not everyone will have the same experiences.


This is where ordered sequences, like numbers, days of the week or letters all have … There are many different types of synesthesia, but they may be categorized as falling into one of two groups: associative synesthesia and projective synesthesia.

Have you ever seen a friend of yours fall into the ground, then you cracked up from laughing? One of the synesthetes described all of the numbers as having a particular shade to them, regardless of the actual colors in which the numbers were presented. The American Synesthesia Association points out that current "serious scientific attention" to synesthesia and heightened public awareness of the condition may be attributed to widespread internet use and new developments in the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for detecting brain activity. Rather, both are perceived as separate and distinct. There is also a relatively high sex ratio (6/1) where for every 6 cases of synesthesia in women, there is 1 case in men. The mirror-touch sensation can be activated by real-life, in-person situations or by watching someone on a screen. Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sense involuntarily activates another — like feeling a certain sensation when hearing a specific instrument.

For instance, two people with grapheme-color synesthesia both probably won’t see the color blue when seeing the number three or will see different colors for each of the days of the week. google_ad_height = 60; Dr. Jamie Ward talks about different types of synesthesia and how they relate to the concept of sequences in the brain.

It could give you the chance to explore your unique situation fully. Understandably, some studies of mirror-touch synesthesia have linked it to synesthetes having a heightened sense of empathy for the pain being suffered by others. Hence, the higher chances of ‘crossing-over’ between different regions and neurons, which is theorized to be the cause of synaesthesia. Even though, there are no reliable or accurate studies that show synesthesia to be genetic. It can range from tasting colors to smelling sounds. There are some minor similarities among grapheme-color synesthetes regarding which color is perceived about a unique numeral or letter. Zac is an author specialized in writing about health related topics and has a number of published eBooks. 7 Things You Should Do to Get Ready, Hernias 101: What to Know From Diagnosis to Treatment, Color-graphemic synesthesia, which occurs when certain letters or numbers are associated with a color or pattern, Color-auditory synesthesia, which occurs when sounds lead the person to see colors, textures or shapes. There have been studies that indicate a very heightened ability among persons with spatial sequence synesthesia to recall the events which have occurred in their own lives. They may also perceive the numeral 5 as sneaky and the numeral 9 as fussy. Also called Sound-Emotion synesthesia, this is a neurological disorder in which hearing certain sounds triggers negative emotions (anger, fear, hatred). This was perfectly worded by Richard Citowic who described chromesthesia as being like fireworks. Although she also spoke Spanish (but learned it later in her childhood years than the other two languages), she had no experience of her synesthesia in that language. Sound---> Color . An associate feels a connection between a stimulus and a sense, while a projector actually … Is there an evolutionary advantage of having synesthesia? Are You Struggling With A Type Of Synesthesia?We're Here To Help - Get Matched With A Licensed Therapist Today. Solomon Shereshevsky, a synesthete, reportedly experienced a link between all five of the basic senses. We use BetterHelp and third-party cookies and web beacons to help the site function properly, analyze usage, and measure the effectiveness of our ads. There is, of course, some gray area between these two types of synesthesia, as there are synesthetes who describe their experiences in both a projected and associative manner, with the forms occurring both independently and in a mixed or concurrent fashion. The smell of the apples is as real for the synesthete as the sound they are hearing. So, a person experiencing synesthesia doesn't think about the connection and always makes the exact same relationship between two sensations or thoughts. In ordinal linguistic personification, the synesthete perceives ordered sequences such as numbers, letters, days of the week, months, etc.

Zac Hyde is a general practitioner who works in a public hospital, he has gathered considerable experience during his time in the hospital, both as a medical student on rotations and as a licensed physician. There are documented cases of non-synesthetes developing synesthesia. Some synesthetes with lexical-gustatory synesthesia tend to make linkages between words and foods they were exposed to as children. The Names, Functions, and Locations of Cranial Nerves, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College. But that’s not the case.

google_ad_client = "ca-pub-1899881092259365"; “A synesthete will have different parts of the brain light up in response to a stimulus than people without synesthesia.”. The synesthete hears the sound just as everyone else does.

There are occasions, too, in which the letters, numbers, etc. This condition, known as hyperthymesia, is itself linked to autism and savantism. These synesthetic experiences involve seeing color in response to seeing letters or numbers or when hearing sounds and color synesthesia types are amongst the most common and frequently researched forms of synesthesia. While synesthesia is a neurological condition that is uncontrollable, it is not a disorder or a disease, nor is it harmful. Hence the distinction is sometimes made of sound-gustatory synesthesia. The connection between pathways is involuntary and consistent over time, rather than conscious or arbitrary. Lexical-Gustatory (And Sound-Gustatory) Synesthesia.



Or, while watching a friend rub a sore spot on his shoulder, the synesthete feels that exact rubbing sensation on her shoulder. An example of the latter is the link shown between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Grapheme-color Synesthesia. Synesthetes who fall in this group feel the connection between a stimulus and a sense by which it is not normally perceived. Whenever lefties talk or perceive stimulation from the outside world, they’re producing a coordinated pattern of activation across a wider range of their brains than righties. Sounds have a certain pitch, loudness, and timbre.

A note-worthy group related to chromesthesia synesthetes are persons for whom the condition is color-to-sound, that is, it is colors that are perceived as sounds. Did it cross your mind that it might hurt? Synesthesia is a fancy name for … cognitive neuroscience, synesthesia, perception, color, numbers, sequences, taste, music, mirror-touch, © 2008-2020 GoCognitive | Educational tools for cognitive neuroscience. There are several forms of synesthesia that people can possess such as: All Rights Reserved, 5 Synesthesia Videos: Sensory Interplay Relay, Emotion-Color Synesthesia Examples in Song, Synesthesia Research – Interview w/ Kristian Marlow, Wassily Kandinsky: Synesthesia & Abstraction, Investigating Spatial Sequence Synesthesia, The Synesthesia Battery – Test & Research Center, John Burke’s Synesthesia – Musical Colors Test. In reality, there are many more possibilities. Whether or not there is a genetic component to developing this form of perception is hotly debated.