Synaesthesia

Introduction

Synaesthesia is a condition where a sensation in one of the senses, such as hearing, triggers a sensation in another, such as taste.

For example,some people with synaesthesiacan taste numbers or hear colours.

A wide range ofdifferent synaesthetic experiences have been reported and recorded a typical example is someone who described experiencing the colour red every timehe heardthe word "Monday".

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 9 Jan 2017

Articles for synaesthesia

Introduction

Synaesthesia is a condition where a sensation in one of the senses, such as hearing, triggers a sensation in another, such as taste.

What are the different types of synaesthesia?

There are many different types of synaesthesia, and manypeople with synaesthesia will experience more than one of these for example, taste, sound and touch may all produce colours. Colours and patt

Advice for people with synaesthesia

Most people with synaesthesia have had it since childhood, so it feels perfectly normal to experience the world in this way. It's not obtrusive and does not affect day-to-day life. It's not necessary

Is synaesthesia linked to other conditions?

Because the number of people with synaesthesia is relatively small, it is not yet possible to know this conclusively. An Australian study did not find any evidence of an association between synaesth

What's the cause?

It's likely that the brain of someone with synaesthesia is "wired" differently, or has extra connections. A brain imaging study has shown that when some people with synaesthesia hear spoken words, a

How do people with synaesthesia feel about their condition?

Interviews with people who have synaesthesia show a wide rangeof feelings towards their condition. Many are positive about it ("I feel sorry for people who don't have this"), and can't imagine their

How common is it?

Synaesthesia has been estimated to affect at least 4% of the UK population. Researchers at the University of Sussex have estimated that 1-2% of the UK population experience colour when they see, hear

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