Growing up, Roberto S. Luciani realized that his brain worked differently than most people’s. He first noticed this as a teenager when he realized he couldn’t visualize things the way his mother could. Luciani has a condition called aphantasia, which means he is unable to picture objects, people, or scenes in his mind. This term wasn’t even known when he was younger, but now, as a cognitive scientist at the University of Glasgow, he and other scientists are uncovering more information about how brains like his work.
In a recent study, Luciani and his colleagues explored the connections between the senses, particularly hearing and seeing, in people with aphantasia. They found that in most brains, these two senses work together, with auditory information influencing the brain areas that handle vision. However, in people with aphantasia, this connection is weaker. This was observed through a series of experiments where participants listened to different sound scenes while in a brain scanner. Those with aphantasia showed weaker neural responses in parts of the visual cortex compared to those without the condition.
Cognitive neuroscientist Lars Muckli, also from the University of Glasgow, explains that the results from the study showcase the varying organizations of different brains. He describes a spectrum, with synesthesia at one end where sounds and sights are closely linked, aphantasia at the other where sounds don’t trigger any visual experience, and individuals in the middle who can conjure up some images in their mind. These findings offer insights into how the brains of people with and without aphantasia differ, shedding light on sensory interconnectedness that goes beyond what textbooks usually explain.
The study also raises philosophical questions about the diverse ways in which people perceive the world. Aphantasia, in particular, represents an invisible difference among individuals that makes each person’s experiences unique. Luciani finds it fascinating that there may be other hidden differences that shape how individuals navigate and interpret the world around them. Ultimately, this research not only provides a deeper understanding of aphantasia but also offers a glimpse into the complexity of the human brain and how individuals process sensory information uniquely.
