What Is Synesthesia?

Synesthesia is a genetic and a neurological condition in which one’s senses overlap and affect one another. For example, the sound of a piano can produce the color blue, or the letter “A” can generate the sound of a violin. Synesthesia is defined as “a sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color” (Dictionary.com). For instance, if one sees a color, it can conjure a scent. If one feels a texture, it can induce a sound, or a taste can provoke a vision.

This condition is profoundly rare. Synesthesia is recessive, meaning it will skip a generation, and therefore affects roughly 1-5% percent of the population.

As there
are five different senses that are able to intermingle with each other, there are at least 20 different types of Synesthesia. Some types include Grapheme-color, Chromesthesia, Timbre, Number-form, Mirror-touch, and Lexical-Gustatory (Synesthesiatest.org). The most popular form of Synesthesia is Grapheme-color. This form results in matching letters of the alphabet with certain colors. Chromesthesia allows sounds to produce colors, which many musicians experience. The most foreign form is called Lexical-Gustatory, which allows certain words to evoke tastes in one’s mouth. Number-form Synesthesia occurs with numbers, matching them with hues. While there are for certain at least 20 different types of this condition, presumably, there are more. However, the exact number is unknown.

An abundance of artists possess this condition, such as the classical composer Franz Liszt, jazz musician Duke Ellington, painter Vincent Van Gogh, in addition to a variety of mathematicians and scientists such as Victorian anthropologist Sir Francis Galton.
While Liszt and Ellington had Chromesthesia, in which their music generated certain colors, Van Gogh had Timbre synesthesia, in which different styles of art generated sounds of various instruments. “Some artists have a nervous hand at drawing, which gives their technique something of the sound peculiar to a violin, for instance, Lemud, Daumier, Lançon — others, for example, Gavarni and Bodmer, remind one more of piano playing.

Do you feel this too? Millet is perhaps a stately organ" (Seaberg, M.). The sight of the uncertain animal forms of Lançon, the hesitant works of Lemud and Daumier, brought the sound of a shake violin to Van Gogh’s ears. Gavarni’s whimsical sketches evoked the sound of twinkling piano keys, and the realism of Millet manifested the sound of an honest
instrument.

Not only does Synesthesia produce increased awareness to senses, it is also linked to Savant syndrome (Hiles, Dave). Savantism is a phenomena in which someone with a disability affecting their development obtain an extraordinary ability. For instance, someone who is deaf may have an uncanny talent for playing an instrument. Both Synesthesia and Savantism involve the senses humans possess.

Savantism creates a bridge between Synesthesia and Autism (Mental Health Weekly Digest).

Recent studies have also shown how Mirror-touch Synesthesia can increase empathy in people (Banissy, M. J.). Those who have Mirror-touch obtain the ability to feel what others feel simply by looking at them.

References

Adeli, M., Rouat, J., Molotchnikoff, S. (2014, May 30). Audiovisual correspondence between musical timbre and visual shapes. Retrieved May 24, 2017, from https://hms.harvard.edu/news/harvard-medicine/uncommon-sense

Banissy, M. J., & Ward, J. (2007). Mirror-touch synesthesia is linked with empathy. Nature Neuroscience, 10(7), 815 . Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lincc.org/apps/doc/A186690283/SCIC?u=s9280515&xid=9c2967a1

Brang, D., & Ramachandran, V. S. (2011, November). Survival of the Synesthesia Gene: Why Do People Hear Colors and Taste Words? Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222625/

Carpenter, Siri. (2017). Everyday fantasia: The world of synesthesia. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar01/synesthesia.aspx

Dictionary.com. (2017). Synesthesia. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/synesthesia

Eagleman, David. (2017). The Synesthesia Battery. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://www.synesthete.org/

Flaherty, Alice. (2017). Uncommon Sense. Retrieved May 24, 2017, from https://hms.harvard.edu/news/harvard-medicine/uncommon-sense

GeneCards, Human Gene. "SYNSTH Gene(Uncategorized)." GeneCards Is a Searchable, Integrative Database That Provides Comprehensive, User-friendly Information on All Annotated and Predicted Human Genes. Web. 22 May 2017.

Ghose, Tia. "Learning a Second Language Linked to Synesthesia." LiveScience. Purch, 09 Jan. 2017. Web. 22 May 2017.

Gross, Veronica. (2017). The Synesthesia Project. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://www.bu.edu/synesthesia/faq/

Hiles, Dave.
(2017). Retrieved May 24, 2017, from http://www.psy.dmu.ac.uk/drhiles/Savant Syndrome.htm

Hornik, S. (2001, February). For Some, Pain Is Orange. Smithsonian, 31(11), 48. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lincc.org/ps/i.do?p=MSIC&sw=w&u=s9280515&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA70653650&asid=8251e3e18056aaef2b5a3dab6ea8c77e

Phillips, Melissa Lee. (2017). Synesthesia. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/syne.html

Profile. Pianist Laura Rosser's rare neurological condition called synesthesia. (2005, April 18). Morning Edition. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lincc.org/ps/i.do?p=MSIC&sw=w&u=s9280515&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA161927243&asid=2f26b159c5a767fd4e50b4c6542827a8

Seaberg, M. (2013, August 26). Vincent Van Gogh Was Likely a Synesthete. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sensorium/201308/vincent-van-gogh-was-likely-synesthete

Staff, N. (2013, December 31). Pharrell Williams On Juxtaposition And Seeing Sounds. Retrieved May 23, 2017, from http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2013/12/31/258406317/pharrell-williams-on-juxtaposition-and-seeing-sounds

Sussex scientists pinpoint sensory links between autism and synesthesia. (2017, March
20).

Mental Health Weekly Digest, 273. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lincc.org/apps/doc/A486078737/SCIC?u=s9280515&xid=1f72fa2e

Synesthesiatest.org. (2017). Types of Synesthesia. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://www.synesthesiatest.org/types-of-synesthesia

Synesthesia Digital Library. Famous Synesthetes. (2017). Retrieved May 24, 2017, from http://sdl.granthazard.com/exhibits/show/famous-synesthetes/famous-synesthetes-closer-look/duke-ellington

Weekend Edition Sunday. The Beauty And Calm Of Thinking In Numbers. (2013, August 11). Weekend Edition Sunday. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lincc.org/apps/doc/A339590027/SCIC?u=s9280515&xid=75aeefa6

Weinberg, R. (2013, December 01). Franz Liszt (1811-1886). Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/synesthesia-gallery/franz-liszt/