Outlasting Memory Advantage In Synaesthesia: Evidence After One Year

This study investigated the trajectory of the memory advantage in synaesthesia across a one year retention interval. We systematically compared recognition memory of four groups of synaesthesia, namely grapheme-colour-, sound-colour-, grapheme-colour-and-sound-colour-, and sequence-space-synaesthesia and yoke-matched control groups with three different kinds of stimuli (words, music, colours) when tested immediately and when tested one year later. The results showed a general memory advantage in synaesthesia for both sessions and across test materials. This general advantage supports the theory that rather than the synaesthetic experience itself, global differences in cognitive style and a richer world of experience might enhance memory in synaesthesia