THE COLOR OF 7 UNDERSTANDING THE PHENOMENON OF SYNESTHESIA Synesthesia is not widely known, It is a rare phenomenon that occurs in only about 1% of the population. It is not a disorder or 2 disability; rather, it is sometimes called an “extra ability.” A person with synesthesia basically has two different perceptions of the same stimulus. In other words, they may hear color, see sounds, or taste a physical touch WHAT IS SYNESTHESIA? Scientists and neurologists are only beginning to understand synesthesia, but we already know some fascinating facts about it: 53 itis genetic, not leamed oF a conscious perception into the arts: There are as many Vladimir Nabakow, as 19 types of A Georgia O'Keefe, synesthesia. Frang Lizst, and Duke Ellington are all said to have had some form of synesthesia. —i ‘The estimated occurrence of synesthesia ranges from rarer than 1 in 20,000 to as. ‘dominant as 7 in 200 people.THE GENETICS OF SYNESTHESIA Cg oC me certs 936 Inherited from from mother father 99% 1% Women 60% Sounds have Letters/symbols ler have colors 20% 69% Sounds have odor, temperatures have color, of tastes have color 11% THE SCIENCE BEHIND SYNESTHESIA The perception of our different senses is created and stored in separate areas of the brain. At birth, neural connections between these centers are not as separate and many of these pathways or connections overlap, In normal development: + By four months, overlapping neural connections are pruned out. * The vision center is separated from the heating ‘Some failure in this process is believed to be the cause of synesthesia. ) kup. Imsinestnesa, connections remain between two or 2. more centers, especially those located close to each other, such as taste and hearing. Neurologists and researchers have identified as many as 19 different forms of synesthesia, but many of them are Quite rare. Some of the more common types are: fal Sound-Color Synesthesia> Synesthetes with this form of synesthesia see different sounds as having color. + Tris form of 9 The hue, smesthesia is most brightness and often associated depth of color with music ten rise with ‘volume or ‘octave, then fade ‘with the music. With this form of > Each number has a synesthesia, al numbers speafic place on the relate to what is ealed a number map and *number-map” in the umber maps differ synesthete's mind. from one synesthete to another, Ordinal-Linguistic Personification