People with synesthesia experience the world with multiple senses
Dear Doctors: When our grandson first learned his colors, he sang them along with music. We thought he was copying that song for learning the ABCS. But when he got older, he started saying that he “hears” the colors. We have been told this is called synesthesia. How and why does it happen?
Dear Reader: Synesthesia is a somewhat rare and quite fascinating phenomenon. It’s a neurological condition in which sensory input gets cross-wired in the brain. The result is that incoming information that would ordinarily be interpreted by a single sense spills over and stimulates another unrelated sense. While this blending of the senses has been described and referenced throughout the centuries, the emergence of the word “synesthesia” dates back to the late 1800s.
For some people with the condition, sounds will also activate the vision centers of the brain. For others, colors can also have flavor, flavors can evoke a physical shape, numerals can have colors and reading printed words can elicit distinct aromas. Depending on how the senses combine, there may be as many as 60 different forms of synesthesia. Estimates of the number of people who experience some form of synesthesia range from as low as 1-in-20,000 individuals to as high as 1-in-23.
Another ongoing discussion, which has not been conclusively resolved, concerns whether the condition appears in women more often than in men. The audiovisual variety that your grandson has described is considered to be one of the more common forms. The rarest is known as lexical-gustatory synesthesia, which causes speakers to “taste” the words they are saying.
Someone is either born with synesthesia or develops the condition at an early age. The condition does not affect an individual’s general health, nor is it linked to any diseases or physical disorders.
It’s important to note that, despite the very different way that someone with synesthesia experiences and processes the world, it is not a form of, or a sign of, mental illness. In fact, studies and anecdotal data suggest that people with synesthesia are often highly intelligent and perform better on memory tests than those who don’t have the condition. Interestingly, there is also some evidence that people with the condition may often have a poor sense of direction.
As for the cause, that remains unknown. From the time synesthesia was first named and described, researchers have been looking into its origins. Some suspect the sensory crossover occurs due to the presence of additional neurons, which may link the affected senses. Another theory involves changes to how the brain receives information, as well as how that information gets processed.
The condition has also been found to run in families. Up to 40% of people with synesthesia turn out to have a close relative who also has a form of the condition. This makes it likely that heredity and genetics play a role. Meanwhile, advances in imaging technologies continue to aid in synesthesia research. It’s quite likely that we’ll have more answers in the not-too-distant future.
CREATINE BENEFICIAL FOR YOUNG, HEALTHY WEIGHTLIFTERS
Dear Doctors: My boyfriend has been lifting weights at his
gym. He’s working on getting stronger, and one of the trainers there suggested he start taking creatine as a supplement. I’ve never heard of that before. What is creatine, and what is it made out of? How does it affect your body?
Dear Reader: Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that our bodies use to help power the skeletal muscles. About half of our daily requirement is produced by the liver and kidneys. The other half is derived from dietary sources, primarily red meat, seafood and chicken, and to a lesser extent, dairy products.
Creatine is stored in the skeletal muscles, then used to help power high bursts of physical activity. It appears to be particularly effective in boosting anaerobic performance, including weightlifting and resistance training. It can also help the muscles and muscle groups that are used during a specific type of exercise to grow larger and stronger.
Numerous studies have shown that adding a creatine supplement to the daily diet can enhance an individual’s natural store of the compound. This can lead to modest, but still measurable, improvements to both athletic performance and endurance when engaged in highintensity exercise. Research into creatine supplements also suggests they may play a role in helping to prevent use-related muscle injuries, support or even speed post-exercise recovery, and help the body to regulate temperature during exercise. All of this has led to creatine quickly becoming one of the most popular dietary supplements among athletes and others hoping to improve physical performance.
Another interesting aspect of research into creatine is the discovery that the supplement doesn’t produce the same effects in all populations. Instead, studies have found that people who are younger and in good health derive the greatest benefits. Also, these benefits, including muscle growth, were seen only when the individual followed a targeted and sustained training program.
Outside of the gym, creatine may have some useful clinical applications. Studies are looking into whether supplementation with creatine can help to slow disease progression in people living with Parkinson’s or Huntington’s diseases, aid in recovery from spinal cord injury, ease the effects of fibromyalgia and perhaps play a role in blood-glucose management, including in people living with diabetes.
If your boyfriend eats a wellrounded diet that includes a wide range of animal-based sources of lean, high-quality protein, he is quite likely getting enough creatine. However, because increases in intramuscular creatine concentrations can benefit athletic training, many athletes find it to be an attractive option. When used appropriately, creatine supplementation has proven to be safe and well-tolerated by individuals who are healthy and in good physical condition. Some people report experiencing water retention. Others, particularly those using it in large amounts, have occasional gastric distress. As with all supplements, it’s important to use a high-quality product, and to follow the guidelines for use. We always think it’s a good idea to check with your health care provider or a licensed dietician before adding any type of supplement to your daily diet.