Synesthesia turns lights into noise

PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A California scientist says she's discovered a form of auditory synesthesia in which people hear sounds when they see lights flash.

Melissa Saenz of the California Institute of Technology described synesthesia as "automatic sensory cross-activation." Psychologists have previously reported visual, tactile, and taste synesthesias.

"People with auditory synesthesia may be even less likely than people with other synesthetic associations to fully realize that their experience is unusual. These individuals have an enhanced soundtrack in life, rather than a dramatically different experience, compared to others," Saenz said in a release.

The findings are published in the journal Current Biology.