Scientists discover aphantasia, a condition without mental images

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Do you often daydream of far away places, picturing the beautiful sceneries and imagining what you may be doing in that place? If you are a dreamer with a vivid imagination, then consider yourself lucky as a new research has discovered a condition where a person develops the inability to see mental images.

According to BT News, cognitive neurologist Adam Zeman, also a professor from the University of Exeter Medical School, has recalled the concept of Sir Francis Galton, which is the inability of people to visualize or see images in their minds. This idea, which has been reported to affect about 2.5 percent of the general population, has been around since the 1880 but is completely untapped, until now. He and his team have called this concept as "aphantasia," a neurological condition where a person is born without a functioning mind's eye.

Can’t count sheep? You could have aphantasia: https://t.co/Qhs8oqwu5G

— University of Exeter (@UniofExeter) August 26, 2015

When a person visualizes an image in his mind, a flurry of activities begins across the brain, working side by side to generate a specific image based on how the brain has memorized it. The areas of the parietal and frontal lobes are the regions of the brains that are responsible for the organization of the process, then the occipital and temporal lobes allow the visualization to occur. The lack of this brain's function can result to aphantasia.

Professor Zeman explained that the research happened by chance when 21 individuals have contacted him after they have read his previous research on the matter and have realized that they are unable to visualize or imagine things, Science Daily writes.

Niel Kenmui, one of the respondents, said he first realized he has a different brain when he can't visualize any images being taught in preschool. He can't remember what counting sheep really means because whenever he is told to do it if he can't sleep, no sheep appears in his head. Kenmui shared that he has been searching his whole life for any information about his condition and with this developmental study, he knows people like him will finally understand what they have.

Professor Zeman shared that for most of the respondents, they are glad that a new light will be shed on their condition because it is impossible to explain to others, BBC World reports. Critics will say that how a person imagine things can be very subjective because what we see in our brains cannot be seen by anyone else. However, the professor is certain that aphantasia is a reality as there are people who have been reported to have lost their ability to imagine things after a brain injury.

The new study has been published in the journal Cortex but further studies are still being conducted to find out more about the condition.