Table of contents:
- What is synesthesia?
- Four types of synesthesia
- What causes synesthesia?
- How does someone who has synesthesia feel?
- Other things that can trigger symptoms are similar to synesthesia
While most of us can see sights and hear sounds, some people are able to perceive colors and see sounds. This is known as synesthesia, a rare neurological phenomenon that occurs in 1 in 2000 people worldwide. Could it be that you are also one of them?
What is synesthesia?
Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which the brain generates several perceptions in the form of sight, sound, or taste from a sensory response. This term has been known since the 19th century, based on reports of people who claim to see other colors when they write using only a black pen.
Everyone who has synesthesia has perceptions in the form of sight, hearing, or other sensations of things that usually do not cause these sensory responses. For example, he will immediately see red when he hears or reads the word "Monday", while every time he hears or sees the word "Tuesday" he will immediately see blue.
Four types of synesthesia
Until now, there are several recognized types of synesthesia, including:
Color - is the most common type of synesthesia, usually related to the color of letters or words. For example, someone with synesthesia thinks the letter "A" is red and "B" is blue, but the perception of these colors and letters can be different in other people with synesthesia.
Pattern or shape - Associating a word with a certain shape or pattern, for example the word when you hear "moon" is associated with a spiral or circle pattern.
Taste and aroma - synesthesia that triggers taste perception occurs when a person experiences a sensation of taste, texture, or temperature when seeing a color or hearing a word. There are also stimuli associated with a particular smell or smell, which appear in terms of shape or color, but this type of synesthesia is rare.
Touch sensation - is a type of synesthesia that creates perceptions such as being touched when seeing another person being touched. Conversely, there are also people who experience a sensation of vision or color whenever they are touched.
What causes synesthesia?
There is a theory that explains that the phenomenon of synesthesia occurs because the person's brain has different neuronal connections, or has extra connections than the brain in general. This is evidenced by a brain imaging study which shows that the brain of a person experiencing synesthesia has increased activity in the part that processes color, along with hearing a word.
Symptoms of synesthesia can appear as early as childhood. It is not known exactly how a person can acquire synesthesia, but this phenomenon can run in families. Synesthesia also has a unique hereditary pattern because it does not always appear in every generation and each family member can have a different type of synesthesia. This shows that besides genetic factors, the environment can also influence.
How does someone who has synesthesia feel?
Researchers argue that the phenomenon of synesthesia is an advantage that affects brain performance. However, according to an interview reported by NHS England, individuals with synesthesia have varying opinions about their condition. Most of them have positive opinions and some have a neutral opinion because they are used to it and do not interfere with their activities, but a small proportion think that the symptoms of synesthesia can interfere with thinking.
One of the advantages a person with synesthesia may experience is a more creative brain. A cognitive neurologist scientist Vilayanur Ramachan (as reported by LiveScience) argues that synesthesia is a genetic mutation that not only makes a person feel unusual sensations, but can also generate ideas and encourage greater creativity. Moreover, the phenomenon of synesthesia is greater in groups of artists, poets and novelists than in other groups.
Unfortunately not everyone has synesthesia throughout their life because this phenomenon can end. There are cases where a person has had synesthesia but no longer has it. This can be because the brain continues to experience changes from childhood to adulthood.
Other things that can trigger symptoms are similar to synesthesia
Symptoms similar to synesthesia can occur when a person is hallucinating from taking hallucinogenic drugs such as diethylmide lysegric acid (LSD). However, this experience will immediately disappear when it is not under the influence of the drug.
Synesthesia in general only occurs and is realized from a young age, but if it suddenly occurs in adults, this can be a sign of impaired senses (hearing or vision) or brain disorders such as stroke. Check with your doctor immediately if you start experiencing synesthesia symptoms suddenly in adulthood.
