Synesthesia Outline

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Synesthesia Outline Introduction (What is
Synesthesia?) Definition of Synesthesia
Synesthetic Perception Synesthetic
ConceptionTheories of Synesthesia Original
Discovery / Theory History of Synesthesia
researchForms of Synesthesia Sound Color
Grapheme Color Word Gustatory Number
Form
Experiments Research Data as a heightened
ASC Neuroimaging (FMRI, PET) Pop Out
effects Neurobasis of Synesthesia Further
Discussion Temporary vs. Permanent? Innate
vs. Learned?
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- Ancient Greek term for "sensation"
What is Synesthesia??

• -Neurologically-based phenomenon
• leads to involuntary experiences
• real information of one sense is accompanied
  by
• a perception in another sense

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What is Synesthesia??

• Synesthetic perception
• -induced by perceiving a stimulus
• Synesthetic conception
• - induced by conceiving

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Forms of synesthesia
What is Synesthesia??

• Sound Color
• Grapheme Color
• Word Gustatory
• Time period Color and shape
• Perceptual vs conceptual
• Combinations of these?!

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• Carol
• Carol is an artist . She has experienced
  synesthesia for as long as she can remember,
• perceiving colors in numbers, letters and when
  hearing certain sounds. Selected forms of touch
• like acupressure and acupuncture also lead to the
  perception of both colors and shapes.
• "With acupuncture, I experience color in layers"
• "Orange is my default color for pain"

Karen Karen is a language researcher and project
manager. Her synesthesia dates back to childhood
and involves the perception of colors when
viewing text or hearing spoken words.
"Linguistics is a grayish-purple-blue word"
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The Pop Out Effect
Normal Control Perception
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The Pop Out Effect
Grapheme- Color Synesthetes Perception
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Who has it??
Synesthetes tend to be Women in the
U.S., studies show that three times as many women
as men have synesthesia in the U.K., eight
times as many women have been reported to
have it. Left-handed synesthetes are more
likely to be left-handed than the general
population. Neurologically normal
synesthetes are of normal (or possibly above
average) intelligence, and standard
neurological exams are normal. In the same
family synesthesia appears to be inherited in
some fashion It seems to be a dominant trait
and it may be on the X-chromosome.
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Diagnosis

• Involuntary
• Projected
• Durable and Generic
• Memorable
• Emotional

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Biological Basis of Synesthesia

• synesthesia results from "crossed-wiring" in the
  brain
• some researchers believe that these crossed
  connections are present in everyone at birth, and
  only later are the connections refined
• Cross activation
• at V4 seen

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Biological Basis of Synesthesia
Where in the Brain?? limbic system includes
several brain structures primarily responsible
for regulating our emotional responses.
cerebral cortex studies have shown a
particularly interesting effect in the cortex
colored-hearing synesthetes - display activity in
several areas of the visual cortex when they hear
certain words. In particular, areas of the
visual cortex associated with processing color
are activated when the synesthetes hear words.
Non-synesthetes do not show activity in these
areas, even when asked to imagine colors or to
associate certain colors with certain words.
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Biological Basis of Synesthesia
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Experiments Research Data as Heightened ASC
FMRI PET show significant differences in V4
actiavtion between Synesthetes and Normal Control
Diffusion Tensioner Imaging show the amount of
connectivity is correlated to the intensity of
Synesthesia.
Rouw Scholte show increased connectivity of the
Fusiform Gyrus, Frontal Cortex, and Intraparietal
Sulcus
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Is Synesthesia Altered Consciousness?
Different Levels of Synesthesia through
Disinhibited Feedback to Higher Order Cortical
Regions
Synesthetes are very sensitive to external
stimuli. Often creating creative art forms.
Synesthetes have problems with math, writing, and
left and right confusion.
Important in understanding Synesthesia because it
provides a window to consciousness.
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Further Discussion Temporary Synesthesia?
LSD Mescaline Can Induce Synesthesia Like
Effects
Psychedelic drugs can cause inhibition of
feedback pathways causing an increase in
excitation of V4
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Innate vs Learned?
Theories that Synesthesia is a product of colored
alphabets and refrigerator magnets
But substantial evidence it is innate not learned.
SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) variations
in genome can be a possible cause for family
members with Synesthesia
However the environment can play an role in the
type of Synesthesia
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The Potential For Synesthesia
About 1 in 23 have Synesthesia.
Slight tendency for women, but this could be a
cultural difference due to women biased towards
self reporting.
Most likely a sex ratio of 11.1 (Male Female)
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Bobo and Kiki
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We all might have Synesthesia
Most would name the blob, Bobo, and the spiky
object Kiki
We all have the ability to understand and create
metaphors.
Suggests we all might the potential for
Synesthesia
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VIDEO!
http//youtube.com/watch?vDvwTSEwVBfcfeaturerel
ated
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References
Cytowic, R., Synesthesia Phenomenology and
Neuropsychology, A Review of Current Knowledge.
Psyche An interdisciplinary journal of research
on consciousness. Synesthesia Phenomenology And
Neuropsychology Grossenbacher, P.G. C.T.
Lovelace (2001), "Mechanisms of synesthesia
cognitive and physiological constraints", Trends
in Cognitive Sciences 5 (1) 36-41 Nunn, J.A.,
Gregory, L.J., Brammer, M., Williams, S.C.R.,
Parslow, D.M., Morgan, M.J., Morris, R.G.,
Bullmore, E.T., Baron-Cohen, S., and Gray, J.A.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging of
synesthesia activation of V4/V8 by spoken words,
Nature Neuroscience, 5371-375,
2002. Ramachandran, V.S. E. M. Hubbard (2001),
"Synaesthesia A window into perception, thought
and language", Journal of Consciousness Studies
8 (12) 3-34 Simner, J. C. Mulvenna N. Sagiv
et al. (2006), "Synaesthesia The prevalence of
atypical cross-modal experiences", Perception
8 (35) 1024-1033 "Synesthesia." Wikipedia. 7
Mar. 2008 lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesi
aCITEREFCytowic2002gt. "Neural Basis of
Synesthesia." Wikipedia. 7 Mar. 2008
lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_basis_of_syne
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