AphantasiaResearch
Explore a comprehensive collection of academic papers, research studies, and scientific publications about aphantasia, imagery, and cognitive neuroscience.
An integration model of mental imagery and aphantasia: Conceptual framework, neuromechanistic pathways, and clinical implications
Researchers found that neural activity in aphantasia represents rudimentary sensory precursors rather than unconscious imagery. This suggests the condition stems from a failure in multi-stage integration and helps categorize distinct subtypes.
Scholz, C. O., Monzel, M., Kvamme, T. L., Liu, J., & Silvanto, J. (2026). An integration model of mental imagery and aphantasia: conceptual framework, neuromechanistic pathways, and clinical implications. Neuropsychologia, 225, 109401. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109401
State but not trait measures of vividness relate to memory accuracy
Researchers found that trial-by-trial vividness predicts memory accuracy, but trait-level measures like the VVIQ do not. This suggests that moment-to-moment imagery fluctuations are more vital for memory than general imagery ability.
Duckett, W., & Simons, J. S. (2026). State but not trait measures of vividness relate to memory accuracy. Neuropsychologia, 224, 109399. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109399
Pupil changes to voluntary and involuntary visual imagery: A unified paradigm with implications for aphantasia research
Researchers found that pupil constriction occurs during both voluntary and involuntary imagery but does not correlate with self-reported vividness. This underscores the need for objective physiological tools to reliably assess aphantasia.
Vanbuckhave, C., Huson, N., Lœvenbruck, H., Guyader, N., & Chauvin, A. (2026). Pupil changes to voluntary and involuntary visual imagery: a unified paradigm with implications for aphantasia research. Neuropsychologia, 223, 109378. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109378
The Nexus of Hoarding and Mental Imagery Extremes: Exploring Hoarding Tendencies in Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia
Aphantasics showed no increased hoarding symptoms, while hyperphantasics exhibited significantly lower tendencies than typical visualizers. This suggests that vivid mental imagery may protect against the development of hoarding behaviors.
Sabel, I., Kay, L., Pearson, J., & Grisham, J. (2026). The nexus of hoarding and mental imagery extremes: exploring hoarding tendencies in aphantasia and hyperphantasia. Psychological Reports. doi:10.1177/00332941261425581
The Fusiform Imagery Node: Where vision meets concepts in the left temporal lobe
Researchers identified the Fusiform Imagery Node as a central hub for imagery that is functionally disconnected in aphantasia. This suggests the condition stems from impaired access to mental representations rather than their total absence.
Bartolomeo, P., Liu, J., & Spagna, A. (2026). The fusiform imagery node: where vision meets concepts in the left temporal lobe. Neuropsychologia, 224, 109398. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109398
Multimodal mental comparisons in those with and without aphantasia
People with aphantasia were more accurate but slower than controls on multimodal mental comparison tasks. This suggests that sensory cognition can be successfully achieved through propositional rather than imagistic strategies.
Suggate, S. P., Milton, F., & Tree, J. (2026). Multimodal mental comparisons in those with and without aphantasia. Neuropsychologia, 222, 109373. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109373
Aphantasia presenting as Cotard’s syndrome
Acquired aphantasia and frontal lesions led a patient to experience Cotard’s syndrome, the delusion of having lost her mind. This suggests voluntary imagery is essential for the subjective experience of possessing a mind.
Ravindren, R., R, R. S., & Veedu, P. T. (2026). Aphantasia presenting as cotard’s syndrome. Discover Neuroscience, 21(1). doi:10.1186/s13064-026-00237-w
AI-generated inspiration for the design process: effects across the vividness of visual imagery spectrum
AI-generated inspiration removed the link between high visual imagery and better design user experience. This suggests AI tools can level the playing field for people with aphantasia by providing the visual starting points they lack.
Lebron Flores, M. O., & Moacdieh, N. M. (2026). Ai-generated inspiration for the design process: effects across the vividness of visual imagery spectrum. International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation, 1–19. doi:10.1080/21650349.2026.2629810
A Neural Model of Conscious Mental Imagery and Aphantasia
Aphantasia involves impaired top-down integration and amplification of visual signals despite preserved initial generation. This suggests conscious imagery is an active attentional process rather than passive sensory reactivation.
Liu, J. (2026). A neural model of conscious mental imagery and aphantasia. Neuropsychologia, 109392. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109392
Disturbing the sound of silence: Bilateral temporal cortex stimulation and auditory mental imagery
Stimulating the temporal cortex with hf-tRNS significantly reduced the volitional control of auditory imagery. This indicates that auditory imagery relies on active, generative neural dynamics within the temporal cortex.
Rollo, B., Malatesta, G., D’Anselmo, A., Lucafò, C., & Tommasi, L. (2026). Disturbing the sound of silence: bilateral temporal cortex stimulation and auditory mental imagery. Brain and Cognition, 192, 106378. doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2025.106378
Imagery modulates the pupillary response, but this does not reliably index differences in imagery vividness.
Researchers found that imagery modulates pupillary responses, but these changes do not correlate with individual vividness ratings. This suggests pupillary response is not a reliable objective index for measuring individual differences in imagery.
Gardner, D., Saurels, B. W., & Arnold, D. H. (2026). Imagery modulates the pupillary response, but this does not reliably index differences in imagery vividness.. Cortex. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2025.11.018
Lesions Causing Aphantasia are Connected to the Fusiform Imagery Node
Lesions causing acquired aphantasia are all functionally connected to a specific region called the left fusiform imagery node. This provides causal evidence that this node is a critical hub for voluntary visual mental imagery.
Kutsche, J., Howard, C., Palacin, A. C., Drew, W., Michel, M., Cohen, A. L., Fox, M. D., & Kletenik, I. (2026). Lesions causing aphantasia are connected to the fusiform imagery node. Cortex. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2026.01.009
Emotion may indirectly link rendering and social reasoning
Researchers propose that visual imagery links to social cognition and memory indirectly through emotional activation. This suggests imagery functions to trigger evolutionarily conserved emotional responses to internal simulations.
Balaban, H., & Ullman, T. D. (2026). Emotion may indirectly link rendering and social reasoning. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.12.009
Rendering aphantasia into the social realm
Aphantasia is linked to factual autobiographical memory and reduced empathy for verbal narratives. This suggests that mental imagery is a key component of social cognition and our ability to share experiences.
Zeman, A., Digard, B., Happé, F., Levine, B., & Monzel, M. (2026). Rendering aphantasia into the social realm. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.11.014
An inwardly focused cognitive style links mental imagery and mental health
Mental imagery vividness is part of an inwardly focused cognitive style linked to interoception and mindfulness. This trait mediates the relationship between imagery and mental health by shaping emotional awareness and regulation.
Kvamme, T. L., Rutiku, R., Wierzchoń, M., Griskova-Bulanova, I., Fardo, F., Barzykowski, K., Sandberg, K., & Silvanto, J. (2026). An inwardly focused cognitive style links mental imagery and mental health. Heliyon, 12(2), e44433. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e44433
Do low imagers know more words? examining the association between mental imagery and vocabulary size
Low-imagery individuals outperformed high imagers when matching highly concrete words to precise definitions. This suggests that vivid mental imagery can sometimes interfere with the analytical processing required for specific linguistic tasks.
Yavuz, M., & Nazir, T. A. (2026). Do low imagers know more words? examining the association between mental imagery and vocabulary size. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, 1–14. doi:10.1080/23273798.2026.2614588
Multisensory Imagery Enhances the Aesthetic Evaluation of Paintings: A Virtual Reality Study
Multisensory mental imagery enhances the aesthetic appeal of paintings by increasing imagery vividness and emotional arousal. This suggests that intentional imagery can be used as a cognitive strategy to deepen aesthetic experiences.
Chen, Z., Han, Z., Wu, L., & Huang, J. (2026). Multisensory imagery enhances the aesthetic evaluation of paintings: a virtual reality study. Empirical Studies of the Arts. doi:10.1177/02762374251412761
Comparing the characteristics of hallucinations and mental imagery: a large cross-sectional study in the general population
Researchers found that hallucinations and involuntary imagery share features but differ in vividness, agency, and distress. This supports a shared experiential continuum, helping to distinguish normal from pathological inner experiences.
Pepin, G., Lœvenbruck, H., Chauvin, A., Jacquet, C., Eichenlaub, J.-B., & Bortolon, C. (2026). Comparing the characteristics of hallucinations and mental imagery: a large cross-sectional study in the general population. Consciousness and Cognition, 137, 103974. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2025.103974
Aphantasia and Motor Imagery: A Step Further in Understanding Imagery and its Role in Motor Cognition
Aphantasics showed reduced right-brain activation and increased left middle frontal gyrus activity during motor imagery. This suggests they use compensatory semantic strategies, indicating mental imagery is not essential for motor cognition.
Peruski, A. (2026). Aphantasia and motor imagery: a step further in understanding imagery and its role in motor cognition. Journal of Neurophysiology. doi:10.1152/jn.00608.2025
Alexander of Aphrodisias on Mental Representation
Alexander of Aphrodisias defined phantasia as a capacity using internal residues and picturing to represent objects. This causal account explains how the mind represents absent things, offering a systematic theory of intentionality.
Hangai, A. (2025). Alexander of aphrodisias on mental representation. Rhizomata, 13(2), 183–223. doi:10.1515/rhiz-2025-0007