We generally think of our senses as having completely separate functions. This is a logical assumption; after all, we can't see with our ears or taste with our eyes. For people with a condition called synesthesia, however, senses can be conflated, or mixed together. In fact, the word synesthesia, derived from Greek, literally means "sensations together." This combining of senses causes interesting sensory experiences. For example, some synesthetes (people who experience synesthesia) imagine tasting a particular flavor whenever they hear a certain sound. Others "hear" a sound in their minds whenever they touch a certain object. The most common types of synesthesia involve colors. In one common subtype, for instance, synesthetes associate different colors with different letters of the alphabet. Typically, synesthetes are not bothered by their synesthesia; in fact, many enjoy it! What is the central idea of the article above?

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People with synesthesia experience a fusing of different senses.
People with synesthesia are generally color-blind.
People with synesthesia may hear a sound when they touch an object.
People with synesthesia will often lose their hearing in their twenties.

1 answer

The central idea of the article is: People with synesthesia experience a fusing of different senses.