Genuine and drug-induced synesthesia: a comparison

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Synesthesia, a neurological phenomenon, presents with various forms including genuine, acquired, and drug-induced.
• Existing literature often discusses these types as largely similar, lacking systematic comparative analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive comparison of genuine, acquired, and drug-induced synesthesia.
• To analyze their phenomenological features and etiological models.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and comparative analysis of phenomenological characteristics.
• Examination of etiological models in relation to synesthesia types.

Main Results:

• Significant differences, rather than similarities, were found between the three types of synesthesia.
• Drug-induced synesthesia demonstrated a broader spectrum and greater intensity compared to genuine and acquired forms.
• Genuine and acquired synesthesias appear linked to morphological substrates, while drug-induced synesthesia suggests functional brain activity changes.

Conclusions:

• The distinct phenomenological profiles of synesthesia types have critical implications for understanding their underlying mechanisms.
• Genuine and acquired synesthesias may involve structural brain differences, whereas drug-induced synesthesia points towards functional alterations.