Individuals with congenital aphantasia show no significant neuropsychological deficits on imagery-related memory tasks

Aphantasia describes the experience of individuals who self-report a lack of voluntary visual imagery. It is not yet known whether individuals with aphantasia show deficits in cognitive and neuropsychological tasks thought to relate to aspects of visual imagery, including Spatial Span, One Touch Stocking of Cambridge, Pattern Recognition Memory, Verbal Recognition Memory and Mental Rotation. Twenty individuals with congenital aphantasia (VVIQ < 25) were identified and matched on measures of age and IQ to twenty individuals with typical imagery (VVIQ > 35). The only group differences found within the neuropsychological and visuo-spatial working memory tests were slower performance in the One Touch Stocking of Cambridge task during trials that had greater working memory load. These results suggest that the cognitive profile of people without imagery does not greatly differ from those with typical imagery when examined by group. However, observed group differences were apparent with increased working memory load. This raises questions about whether or not aphantasia represents a differences cognitive function or in conscious experience.