Aphantasia
Neural correlates of aphantasia: assessments using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
General
To investigate the causes and consequences of aphantasia, aphantasists as well as unaffected control subjects are recruited.
Background and aims
Aphantasia is the complete or almost complete absence of voluntary imagination. The aim of the study is to investigate genetic and neurobiological causes of aphantasia and its effect on autobiographical memory. In addition, the data will be used to validate an objective test for the diagnosis of aphantasia in order to use it in future research in a cost-saving way.
Overview
An overview of the Aphantasie Research Project Bonn can be found here...
Course of the study
If you consent to participate in the study, there will be:
- an approximately 90-minute examination of visual imagination and autobiographical memory in an MRI scanner (3T MRI)
- an approximately 60-minute examination of the visual imagination using various behavioral tasks (e.g., Binocular Rivalry Task)
- a sampling of buccal epithelial cells to investigate the genetic basis of aphantasia
- an autobiographical interview of about 90 minutes.
All examinations are performed in one day and take about 2-4 hours in total.
Start of the study: 2021
Status: Study completed, publication in progress
Contact:
Dr. Dr. Cornelia McCormick
German Center for Neurodegenerative Disease (DZNE)
In Cooperation with:
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Institut für Psychologie
Differentielle & Biologische Psychologie
Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9
53111 Bonn
Principle Investigator:
Prof. Dr. Dipl. Psych. Martin Reuter
martin.reuter(at)uni-bonn-diff.de
Project management/Study coordination:
M.Sc. Merlin Monzel
228 73-4619
merlin.monzel(at)uni-bonn-diff.de
Publications / Press releases
Publications:
Monzel M, Leelaarporn P, Lutz T, Schultz J, Brunheim S, Reuter M, McCormick C. Hippocampal-occipital connectivity reflects autobiographical memory deficits in aphantasia. eLife 13:RP94916, 2024. doi: 10.7554/eLife.94916.1.
Press releases:
- Universty Bonn: Bonn researchers find connection between autobiographical memory and aphantasia
- Informationsdienst Wissenschaft: Long-term memory: Bonn researchers find connection between autobiographical memory and aphantasia
- DZNE: Long-term memory and lack of mental images - Bonn researchers find connection between autobiographical memory and aphantasy
- ScienceDaily: Long-term memory and lack of mental images - Researchers find connection between autobiographical memory and aphantasia
- TECH EXPLORIST: Long-term memory and an absence of mental imagery - The link between Hippocampal-occipital connection and Aphantasia memory issues.
- Quanta Magazine: What Happens in a Mind That Can’t ‘See’ Mental Images
- The Atlantic: Scientists Are One Step Closer to Demystifying ‘Aphantasia’
