Synesthesia

Imagine what it would be like to taste a triangle, to hear the color red or to see the sound of train's whistle? Actually, we do it all the time, metaphorically speaking, when cross describing everything from art to food and even perfume. Think of sharp cheddar cheese as an example. Truly, there are no edges, but the term fits when the cheese hits our taste buds. But suppose the sensation was real? What if you really could see the world through rose colored glasses?

Scientist has known about Synesthesia for centuries. Francis Galton, a relative of Charles Darwin was first to publish a paper on the phenomenon. Unfortunately for him, most thought Synesthesia was either drug induced or artist fancy. Synesthesia is an involuntary condition which joins real information from one sense with the perception of another. Generally, the brain sends signals telling us which of the 5 senses to use when appropriate. Each of the 5 senses are categorized and then separated. However for the Synesthetes, the signals clash or blend prior to the separation giving a new definition as to how texture, color or a sound is perceived. Assuming that cross wiring does lie at the root of Synesthesia, why does it happen? Now there's strong evidence that it is a physical reason. Using MRI brain imaging, researcher Jeffrey Gray of the London Institute of Psychology has shown that the color-processing centers of Synesthetes' brains are activated by words and numbers, while for the Non-Synesthetes, the vision-related areas stay quiet. To test his results, Gray trained Non-Synesthetes to associate a color with a number and watched their brains in action. The color centers still did not light up like untrained Synesthetes.

Some form of Synesthesia occurs in roughly 1 in 200 individuals. Overall Synesthetes are highly intelligent. Signs of an impaired ability to solve mathematical problems, right-left confusion, and a poor sense of direction are common. A family history of dyslexia symptom, autism, and attention deficit is present in about 15%. Rarely, does the sensual experience intensity interfere with rational thinking. The phenomenon varies in impact. It could be a disorder in some, or a curiosity in others.

Could it possibly be a mutation in the DNA chain or perhaps it exists in each of us and we choose to ignore what defies logic. Whichever the case, people with Synesthetes are providing important clues on understanding the organizational process of the human brain.

Information Resources:
CNN News Network
Discovery Channel News
Scientific America
Jeffrey Gray, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Neurologist Richard Cytowic, author: The Man Who Tasted Shapes