Menschen mit Aphantasie aktivieren immer noch ihren visuellen Kortex, wenn sie versuchen, ein Bild vor ihrem geistigen Auge heraufzubeschwören, aber die erzeugten Bilder sind zu schwach oder verzerrt, um dem Einzelnen bewusst zu werden
https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2025/01/mind-blindness-decoded-people-who-cant-see-with-their-minds-eye-still-activate-their-visual-cortex-study-finds?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social
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Happy new year r/science! Sharing the above study led by our researcher, professor Joel Pearson: [https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(24)01652-X](https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(24)01652-X)
The study investigated signals in the primary visual cortex in people with aphantasia during imagery attempts and found that when they try to conjure an image in their mind’s eye, the primary visual cortex is activated, but any images that are produced remain unconscious to the individual.
Prof. Pearson noted that “People with aphantasia actually do seem to have images of a sort, they remain too weak or distorted to become conscious or be measured by our standard measurement techniques.”
The findings challenge the existing theory that activity in the primary visual cortex directly produces conscious visual imagery.
Let us know if you have any questions about the study below!
On LSD i can see photorealistic stuff in my head full color its pretty epic can control it too
sober its just black other than when close to sleeping id see stuff moving not sure why potentially hypnagogic hallucinations
That’s how it is for me. It feels like the images (and other sensory imaginings) are there, but there is no way for me to consciously experience them. They are able to get through to me in dreams, at least some of the time.
Yes, they are able to show themselves in dreams or through being affected by drugs/strong stimulants
Aphantasia confuses me because.. how do you quantify a mental image? How do you measure how vivid it is for someone?
I can think of things but I don’t see an image of it in my mind.. I know what an apple looks like I can describe it but when I imagine it I don’t “see” anything at all.
It makes me wonder if anyone actually does.