Synesthesia
Marliese Baer
What Is Synesthesia?
When you experience a sense impression occurring when another sense is being stimulated.
Sensory System (Part of Nervous System)
Definition:
Central computer that controls body function
The nervous system sends messages back-and-forth
Through the spinal cord
Organs/Parts of:
Spinal cord
Brain
- Eyes
- Ears
- Nose
- Tongue
- Skin
System Normally vs. With Synesthesia
Nervous/Sensory System Normally:
All senses being processed normally
All senses occurring when one is being stimulated
All senses communicating with the brain normally
Nervous/Sensory System with Synesthesia:
Experiencing sense A along with sense B when A is being stimulated
Experiencing the wrong sense at the wrong time
- Mixing up or confusing the senses (Ex. hearing colors, seeing sounds, etc.)
Target Population
Women are more affected than men
Biological
Runs in families (not always, skips generations)
Born with or discovered very early
Doesn’t usually go away or fade
1 person in 2000 people have Synesthesia
[Are exceptions to this]
Onset
Biological
Runs in families (are exceptions)
In DNA
Brain “wired differently”
Are usually born with or notice it at a young age
Very rarely people acquire it
Research still in progress
Signs and Symptoms
Hearing/Tasting/Feeling/Seeing smells
Hearing/Tasting/Feeling/Smelling colors
Hearing/Tasting/Smelling textures or shapes
Hearing/Feeling/Smelling/Seeing tastes
Tasting/Feeling/Smelling/Seeing sounds
Diagnosis
Run certain tests
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan
Noticing the symptoms and informing professional/doctor
[No actual need to see a doctor]
Treatment
No real treatments presently
Doesn’t tend to be a problem
If problem (rare) inform doctor
- “It’s not necessary to see a doctor.” (though some do)
Prognosis
Life span not affected
Does not affect day to day life
It’s “normal” to the synesthete
Without it the synesthete would feel at loss
Most synesthetes “can't imagine life without it”
- Sometimes interrupt thoughts, but they get use to it
Extra
Connections:
Pharrell Williams
Lady Gaga
Why I chose this Topic:
I heard about it from a friend and it sounded intriguing
Read about it online