Synesthesia
Synesthesia means blending of senses. That is, sensory experiences (e.g., sound, taste) or concepts (e.g., words, numbers, time) automatically evoke additional precepts (e.g., color). The figure presents numbers in colors as seen by the first synesthete studied in our laboratory – MM. The majority of experimental work has focused on understanding the phenomenon in isolation. For example, research has attempted to reveal the mechanism(s) that underlies synesthesia or the stage(s) of processing on which the synesthetic experience depends. Independent of this line of research, however, the study of synesthesia may help to better understand the non-synesthetic mind. Understanding the phenomenon requires forays into fields such as perception, awareness, representation, development and neuroanatomy, and it therefore provides a good testing ground for many ideas and theories about different areas of cognitive science.Our research is aimed at unraveling the neurocognitive mechanisms of synesthesia and its implications for models of neurocognitive functioning. 
We study both grapheme-color and number-form synesthesia. Number form synesthetes see numbers or months in space. An example for numbers in space is provided by synesthete SM (see research in pictures).
Selected publications
Cohen Kadosh, R., Cohen Kadosh, K., & Henik, A. (2007). The neuronal correlate of bi-directional synesthesia: A combined event-related potential and functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 19, 2050-2059.
Cohen-Kadosh, R., & Henik, A. (2007). Can synaesthesia research inform cognitive science? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 11, 177-184.
Cohen Kadosh, R., Tzelgov, J., & Henik, A. (2008). A synesthetic walk on the mental number line: The size effect. Cognition, 106, 548–557.
Cohen Kadosh, R., Henik, A., Catena, A., Walsh, V., & Fuentes, L. J. (2009).Induced cross-modal synesthetic experience without abnormal neuronal connections.Psychological Science, 20, 258-265.
Gertner, L., Henik, A., & Cohen Kadosh, R. (2009). When 9 is not on the right: Implications from number-form synesthesia.Consciousness and Cognition, 18, 366-374.
Diesendruck, L., Gertner, L., Botzer, L., Goldfarb, L., Karniel, A., & Henik, A. (2011). Months in space: Synesthesia modulates attention and action. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 27, 665-679.
Arend, I., Gertner, L., & Henik, A. (in press). Perceiving numbers influences actions in number-space synesthesia. Cortex.
