Understanding Synesthesia

What is the condition called where people can feel physical sensations in response to music, as described in the article?

• Hyperesthesia

• Synesthesia

• Dysesthesia

• Echolocation

How did the protagonist, Joanne, first discover that she could feel music on her skin?

• While attending a concert

• During a piano practice session

• As a child listening to the radio

• When playing in an orchestra

What role does the brain play in synesthesia, the condition mentioned in the article?

• It combines unrelated senses in unique ways

• It blocks external stimuli from certain senses

• It increases the sensitivity of all five senses

• It decreases the ability to distinguish different stimuli

How has synesthesia influenced Joanne’s career and her relationship with music?

• It made her more interested in musical composition

• It caused her to stop playing music entirely

• It helped her become a more skilled performer

• It pushed her towards a career in music therapy

In what ways did Joanne’s experience of synesthesia change as she practiced the piano?

• She started feeling different textures from different instruments

• The sensations she felt became more intense over time

• She began to lose the ability to feel music on her skin

• She started to associate specific notes with colors

How does synesthesia differ from more common sensory experiences, according to scientists interviewed in the article?

• It is an ability that can be developed with practice

• It involves cross-wiring between different senses

• It only affects individuals with perfect pitch

• It can only occur in individuals with brain injuries

What are some of the scientific theories proposed to explain why synesthesia occurs?

• It results from the brain compensating for sensory loss

• It is a learned response developed during early childhood

• It is caused by a heightened activity in sensory processing areas

• It is a genetic mutation that prevents the brain from filtering stimuli

How do left-handed and right-handed musicians reportedly experience music differently, based on studies referenced in the article?

• Left-handed musicians are more likely to have synesthesia

• Right-handed musicians are better at distinguishing pitch

• Left-handed musicians often feel the music more intensely

• There is no significant difference in their experience of music

What other types of sensory synesthesia, apart from music-related, are mentioned in the article?

• Visual-to-sound synesthesia

• Taste-to-texture synesthesia

• Sound-to-color synesthesia

• Smell-to-sound synesthesia

How does the article suggest synesthesia might offer a new way of understanding how the brain processes information across different senses?

• It reveals that all senses operate independently in the brain

• It shows that sensory information can overlap and merge

• It suggests that synesthesia is an illusion rather than a real phenomenon

• It indicates that synesthesia is a learned experience, not a natural one