“Synesthesia is something that happens in your mind, it’s what your mind sees”, comments Pharrell Williams, singer-songwriter, artistic director and music producer. On the red carpet of Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in early September, Pharrell, represented the animated film Piece by Piece based on his career. The latter recounts his synesthetic experience, which made him see the colors of music.
This phenomenon, little studied, is quite common: researchers believe that between 1 person in 20 and 1 in 2,000 are synesthetes in the world, according to the Foundation for Medical Research (FRM). What does synesthesia represent, and how does it manifest? We’ll explain it to you.
What is synesthesia?
Synesthesia, from the Greek “syn” (union) and “aesthesis” (sensation), is a neurological condition that combines several of the senses in an unusual way. The FRM explains that “sensory blends” are sometimes triggered by substance use or brain damage, but in the majority of cases, synesthesia manifests itself without a link to a pathology. Synesthesia is therefore not linked to a health problem, nor is it linked to a particular psychological profile.
“A synesthete sees music, for example, or perceives perfumes in color. Others feel fruity tastes when they touch metal or leather, perceive emotions in colored shapes, see numbers in colors. Some still appreciate their abstract thoughts in the form of three-dimensional architecture, observe time on a frieze deployed in space or associate personalities with letters” explains essayist Vincent Mignerot for the site Synestheorywhich follows the news of scientific research. Furthermore, not all synthetics are unique: today there are 65 combinations precisely listed by scientists, but there could be more, according to a site dedicated to synesthesia, Synesthéorie.fr.
Where does this neurological phenomenon come from?
“Synesthesia brings to consciousness one of the ways our body and mind work together,” explains Vincent Mignerot through this platform. But how do you become a synesthete? Where does it come from? Despite numerous studies, researchers are struggling to clearly identify the mechanisms at the origin of this phenomenon, RFM experts explain. However, there are some theories about its origin.
Synesthesia appears to have a strong genetic component, occurring more frequently within families and possibly linked to specific regions of the genome. Another hypothesis is neuronal: the brain areas of synesthetes would be connected by specific neural networks, which would cause this phenomenon, as explained in the review The psychological year. The associations between letters and colors among synesthetes, although individual, show that certain letters are often linked to specific colors. It could also be due to cultural influences, such as learning methods used to teach children, or a way in which our brains naturally relate shapes and colors – the third known hypothesis of synesthesia, say the researchers. The psychological year.
What impact does synesthesia have on daily life?
To date, this phenomenon has not yet been explained. What we know is that there are no “consequences” of being a synesthete, nor even any advantages. This neurological condition is completely neutral most of the time. Vincent Mignerot, previously interviewed by Current Womanindicated that there would be more synesthetes “among creators in general, for example among artists, philosophers, or even mathematicians… The hypothesis put forward could be that certain creative experiences would be associated with synaesthesia”.
Synesthesia allows those who suffer from it to perceive the world in a relatively unique way, mixing different senses. This could provide some benefits, such as better memory and increased creativity. However, this phenomenon could also lead to difficulties in specific tasks, such as concentration or mental arithmetic, as indicated The psychological year.
Sources :
- Neurology: why be interested in synesthesia? – Foundation for Medical Research – September 29, 2023
- Synesthéorie.fr
- Review of a strange phenomenon: synesthesia. The Psychological Year – 2013
