Researcher pathways
Three ways to engage with aphantasia research on the Network.
AphantasiaResearch
Explore a comprehensive collection of academic papers, research studies, and scientific publications about aphantasia, imagery, and cognitive neuroscience.
Congenital aphantasia is not imagery blindsight
Aphantasia differs from blindsight because individuals retain conscious access to visual information via non-visual routes. This suggests the condition is a selective inability to format knowledge into quasi-visual experiences.
Bartolomeo, P., & Arcangeli, M. (2026). Congenital aphantasia is not imagery blindsight. Cortex, 197, 112–114. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2026.02.009
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
Mapping the imageless mind: Towards a taxonomy of aphantasia
Researchers proposed a taxonomy distinguishing between neurological, psychogenic, and congenital aphantasia. This framework helps organize research by recognizing that the condition arises from diverse neural and psychological origins.
Bartolomeo, P. (2025). Mapping the imageless mind: towards a taxonomy of aphantasia. Neuropsychologia, 219, 109276. doi:/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109276
Aphantasia as a functional disconnection
Researchers discovered a functional disconnection between the left fusiform imagery node and the left prefrontal cortex in aphantasia. This suggests the condition stems from a failure to integrate visual knowledge into conscious awareness.
Liu, J., & Bartolomeo, P. (2025). Aphantasia as a functional disconnection. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.05.012
Visual mental imagery in typical imagers and in aphantasia: A millimeter-scale 7-T fMRI study
Aphantasics show typical visual cortex activity but reduced connectivity between the fusiform imagery node and frontoparietal areas. This suggests conscious imagery requires the integration of visual and control networks.
Liu, J., Zhan, M., Hajhajate, D., Spagna, A., Dehaene, S., Cohen, L., & Bartolomeo, P. (2025). Visual mental imagery in typical imagers and in aphantasia: a millimeter-scale 7-t fmri study. Cortex, 185, 113–132. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2025.01.013
Probing the unimaginable: The impact of aphantasia on distinct domains of visual mental imagery and visual perception
People with aphantasia showed normal accuracy but slower response times and lower confidence on imagery and perceptual tasks. This suggests the condition may be a metacognitive deficit rather than a total lack of access to visual information.
Liu, J., & Bartolomeo, P. (2023). Probing the unimaginable: the impact of aphantasia on distinct domains of visual mental imagery and visual perception. Cortex, 166, 338–347. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.003
Visual mental imagery engages the left fusiform gyrus, but not the early visual cortex: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging evidence
Visual mental imagery engages the left fusiform gyrus and fronto-parietal networks, but not the early visual cortex. This suggests that imagery relies on high-level associative areas instead of the primary sensory regions used for perception.
Spagna, A., Hajhajate, D., Liu, J., & Bartolomeo, P. (2021). Visual mental imagery engages the left fusiform gyrus, but not the early visual cortex: a meta-analysis of neuroimaging evidence. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 122, 201–217. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.029
Refusing to imagine? On the possibility of psychogenic aphantasia. A commentary on Zeman et al. (2015)
Researchers suggest that aphantasia can have psychogenic origins linked to conditions like anxiety and depersonalization. This indicates that clinical evaluations of imagery loss should include psychopathological examinations.
de Vito, S., & Bartolomeo, P. (2016). Refusing to imagine? on the possibility of psychogenic aphantasia. a commentary on zeman et al. (2015). Cortex, 74, 334–335. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.06.013
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