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.
Reimagining the vividness of visual imagery questionnaire as a single item screener for aphantasia
VVIQ items showed high redundancy for identifying aphantasia, with inter-item correlations ranging from .79 to .90. A single screening question about visualizing a familiar place achieved high specificity (98.8%) and sensitivity (97.5%) against the strictest definition of core aphantasia (VVIQ = 16), suggesting the full 16-item questionnaire is unnecessary for screening purposes.
Monzel, M., Pickering, J. W., Condon, D. M., Beran, M. J., & Ebeyer, T. (2026). Reimagining the vividness of visual imagery questionnaire as a single item screener for aphantasia. Consciousness and Cognition, 142, 104061. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2026.104061
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
The impact of mental images on reasoning: A study on aphantasia
Typical imagers showed slower reasoning on visual tasks, but this effect was inconclusive in aphantasics. This suggests that mental imagery can hinder abstract reasoning by introducing irrelevant visual details.
Le Clézio, D., Delem, M., Monzel, M., & Plancher, G. (2026). The impact of mental images on reasoning: a study on aphantasia. Neuropsychologia, 224, 109376. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109376
When weak imagery is worse than none: Core aphantasia and hypophantasia relate differently to mental health, mediated by subjective interoception
People with weak imagery (hypophantasia) showed worse mental health and higher alexithymia than those with no imagery. This suggests that partial imagery may be more disruptive than its total absence by hindering non-visual cognitive strategies.
Kvamme, T. L., Monzel, M., Nagai, Y., & Silvanto, J. (2026). When weak imagery is worse than none: core aphantasia and hypophantasia relate differently to mental health, mediated by subjective interoception. Neuropsychologia, 222, 109368. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109368
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
The role of subjective interoception in autobiographical deficits in aphantasia
Autobiographical memory deficits are well-documented in aphantasia, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Emerging models suggest that interoception plays a crucial role in mental imagery, a key component of memory retrieval. In this study, we investigate the relationship between self-reported interoception, mental imagery, and autobiographical memory, with a specific focus on aphantasia. First, we examined whether interoceptive awareness and autobiographical memory differ between individuals with core aphantasia ( n = 69), hypophantasia ( n = 266) and typical imagers ( n = 133). Our findings reveal that aphantasics report significantly lower autobiographical memory as well as subjective interoceptive awareness across key subscales, including emotional awareness and noticing. Secondly, a mediation analysis reveals that mental imagery mediates the relationship between the emotional awareness subscale of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) questionnaire and autobiographical memory, suggesting that subjective interoception may contribute to memory recall indirectly through its influence on imagery. These findings provide novel empirical support for the idea that interoception is linked to both mental imagery and memory retrieval. The reduced interoceptive awareness observed in aphantasia may contribute to their known deficits in autobiographical memory, positioning aphantasia as a condition that extends beyond a lack of mental imagery to include altered interoceptive processing.
Monzel, M., Nagai, Y., & Silvanto, J. (2025). The role of subjective interoception in autobiographical deficits in aphantasia. Scientific Reports, 15(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-23270-x
Why indecisive trials matter: Improving the binocular rivalry imagery priming score for the assessment of aphantasia
Researchers discovered that incorporating mixed trials into binocular rivalry scores increases the task's predictive validity for mental imagery. This provides a more reliable and efficient objective measure for identifying individuals with aphantasia.
Monzel, M., Scholz, C. O., Pearson, J., & Reuter, M. (2025). Why indecisive trials matter: improving the binocular rivalry imagery priming score for the assessment of aphantasia. Behavior Research Methods, 57(9). doi:10.3758/s13428-025-02780-6
Absence of shared representation in the visual cortex challenges unconscious imagery in aphantasia
Neural activity during imagery in aphantasics does not share the same representational patterns as actual perception. This challenges the theory of unconscious imagery, suggesting aphantasics instead utilize alternative cognitive strategies.
Scholz, C. O., Monzel, M., & Liu, J. (2025). Absence of shared representation in the visual cortex challenges unconscious imagery in aphantasia. Current Biology, 35(13), R645–R646. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2025.05.009
Beyond words: Examining the role of mental imagery for the Stroop effect by contrasting aphantasics and controls
People with aphantasia showed a reduced Stroop effect in accuracy compared to controls. This suggests that mental imagery of color words interferes with perception, identifying imagery as a partial cause of this cognitive interference.
Monzel, M., Rademacher, J., Krempel, R., & Reuter, M. (2025). Beyond words: examining the role of mental imagery for the stroop effect by contrasting aphantasics and controls. Cognition, 259, 106120. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2025.106120
The Phenomenology of Offline Perception: Multisensory Profiles of Voluntary Mental Imagery and Dream Imagery
Researchers found that voluntary and dream imagery rely on distinct multisensory networks that overlap more during lucid dreaming. This suggests both are forms of offline perception that differ primarily in levels of cognitive control.
Bilzer, M., & Monzel, M. (2025). The phenomenology of offline perception: multisensory profiles of voluntary mental imagery and dream imagery. Vision, 9(2), 37. doi:10.3390/vision9020037
Stage 2 Registered Report: Propositional Thought Is Sufficient for Imaginal Extinction as Shown by Contrasting Participants With Aphantasia, Simulated Aphantasia, and Controls
People with aphantasia achieved successful fear extinction despite lacking mental imagery. This indicates that propositional thought is sufficient for exposure therapy, making these clinical treatments viable for those without a mind's eye.
Monzel, M., Agren, T., Tengler, M., Karneboge, J., & Reuter, M. (2025). Stage 2 registered report: propositional thought is sufficient for imaginal extinction as shown by contrasting participants with aphantasia, simulated aphantasia, and controls. Psychophysiology, 62(1). doi:10.1111/psyp.14756
Definition: Aphantasia
Researchers defined aphantasia as the absence of imagery and proposed specific labels for deficits across various sensory modalities. This provides a standardized framework to improve consistency in scientific research and clinical diagnosis.
Zeman, A., Monzel, M., Pearson, J., Scholz, C. O., & Simner, J. (2025). Definition: aphantasia. Cortex, 182, 212–213. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2024.07.019
Affective processing in aphantasia and potential overlaps with alexithymia: Mental imagery facilitates the recognition of emotions in oneself and others
People with aphantasia show reduced emotional responses to verbal stimuli and slower recognition of others' emotions. This suggests mental imagery is a vital mechanism for amplifying emotional experiences and facilitating social cognition.
Monzel, M., Karneboge, J., & Reuter, M. (2024). Affective processing in aphantasia and potential overlaps with alexithymia: mental imagery facilitates the recognition of emotions in oneself and others. Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatry, 11, 100106. doi:10.1016/j.bionps.2024.100106
Hippocampal-occipital connectivity reflects autobiographical memory deficits in aphantasia
People with aphantasia recalled fewer internal memory details, linked to reduced hippocampal-visual cortex connectivity. This suggests that functional interaction between these regions is essential for retrieving vivid personal memories.
Monzel, M., Leelaarporn, P., Lutz, T., Schultz, J., Brunheim, S., Reuter, M., & McCormick, C. (2024). Hippocampal-occipital connectivity reflects autobiographical memory deficits in aphantasia. eLife, 13. doi:10.7554/eLife.94916.3
Neuronal activation patterns during self-referential pain imagination
Imagining painful scenarios recruits brain regions associated with actual pain processing, including the somatosensory cortex. This suggests pain imagination is a top-down simulation that may be significantly altered in people with aphantasia.
Vetterlein, A., Plieger, T., Monzel, M., Hogeterp, S. A., Wagner, L., Grünhage, T., Felten, A., Trautner, P., Karneboge, J., & Reuter, M. (2024). Neuronal activation patterns during self-referential pain imagination. Neurobiology of Pain, 16, 100158. doi:10.1016/j.ynpai.2024.100158
Aphantasia and involuntary imagery
Researchers found that aphantasia impairs involuntary imagery like dreams, afterimages, and reading-induced mental images. This suggests aphantasia is a general imagery deficit rather than a specific lack of voluntary control.
Krempel, R., & Monzel, M. (2024). Aphantasia and involuntary imagery. Consciousness and Cognition, 120, 103679. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2024.103679
No verbal overshadowing in aphantasia: The role of visual imagery for the verbal overshadowing effect
People with aphantasia did not experience the verbal overshadowing effect when describing faces. This suggests that the effect relies on visual imagery to interfere with recognition memory.
Monzel, M., Handlogten, J., & Reuter, M. (2024). No verbal overshadowing in aphantasia: the role of visual imagery for the verbal overshadowing effect. Cognition, 245, 105732. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105732
The role of dopamine in visual imagery—An experimental pharmacological study
Researchers are investigating whether acute dopamine depletion reduces the strength of voluntary mental imagery. This could identify a neurochemical mechanism for aphantasia and suggest potential pharmacological interventions to enhance imagery.
Monzel, M., Karneboge, J., & Reuter, M. (2024). The role of dopamine in visual imagery—an experimental pharmacological study. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 102(1). doi:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jnr.25262
Where’s Wanda? The influence of visual imagery vividness on visual search speed measured by means of hidden object pictures
People with aphantasia were significantly slower than controls at finding hidden objects in complex scenes. This indicates that mental imagery facilitates top-down processing in real-world visual perception.
Monzel, M., & Reuter, M. (2024). Where’s wanda? the influence of visual imagery vividness on visual search speed measured by means of hidden object pictures. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 86(1), 22–27. doi:10.3758/s13414-022-02645-6
Aphantasia within the framework of neurodivergence: Some preliminary data and the curse of the confidence gap
People with aphantasia underestimate their performance on visual tasks despite having typical school grades. This confidence gap suggests that framing aphantasia as a disorder may cause harmful and unnecessary self-stigmatization.
Monzel, M., Dance, C., Azañón, E., & Simner, J. (2023). Aphantasia within the framework of neurodivergence: some preliminary data and the curse of the confidence gap. Consciousness and Cognition, 115, 103567. doi:10.1016/j.concog.2023.103567