Synaethesia is a neurological condition that gives rise to a 'merging of the senses': those with the condition might experience certain numbers as a specific colour, or certain words as a taste. Simner describes synaesthesia's many forms, discusses its links with artistic creativity and lateral thinking, and delves into the underlying neuroscience.

• Preface


• 1: What is synaesthesia?


• 2: Synaesthesia in the brain


• 3: Synaesthesia and the arts


• 4: The ups and downs of synaesthesia: is it a 'gift' or a 'condition'?


• 5: Where does synaesthesia come from? The role of genetics and learning


• 6: The question of synaesthesia


• Conclusion


• Further reading


• Index

Julia Simner is a neuropsychologist and researcher in the field of synaesthesia research and multi-sensory processing. Her education and career have taken her to the Universities of Oxford, Toronto, Edinburgh and Sussex, and she now runs the Synesthesia and Sensory Integration lab at the University of Sussex. She is the Science Officer for the UK Synaesthesia Association, Director of the ERC-funded MULTISENSE project, and Director of the Savant Network. Her previous book, The Oxford Handbook of Synesthesia was recently shortlisted for the British Medical Association's Medical Book of the Year.