Research spotlight: Exploring the neural basis of visual imagination

A recent study by Mass General Brigham researchers explored whether a stroke or traumatic brain injury can result in the loss of visual imagination, known as aphantasia, and which specific parts of the brain are necessary for this function.

2026-03-03

(Press-News.org) Isaiah Kletenik, MD, and Julian Kutsche, of the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics within the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, are the senior and lead authors of a paper published in Cortex, “Lesions Causing Aphantasia are Connected to the Fusiform Imagery Node.”

Q: What challenges or unmet needs make this study important?

Visual imagination, or “seeing in the mind’s eye,” is a unique function that allows people to relive past events, solve problems and envision the future. However, about 3% of the general population is born lacking this visual mental imagery—a condition known as aphantasia. Beyond these congenital cases, it remains unclear how stroke or traumatic brain injury can impair this type of imagination.

Understanding the underlying neuroanatomy of aphantasia can advance the field of cognitive neuroscience and inform clinical practice as well. The lack of understanding surrounding this condition poses challenges for those affected as it can impact creativity, a sense of personal meaning and cognitive function.

What central question(s) were you investigating?

Our study was guided by two central questions:

What specific parts of the brain are involved, or necessary, for visual imagination? Can a brain injury make someone lose their imagination? By examining rare cases of acquired aphantasia caused by brain injury, we sought to lend insight into the neurological basis of visual imagination.

Q: What methods or approach did you use?

We systematically mapped the locations of brain injuries in individuals who previously possessed the ability for visual imagination, but lost it following a stroke or brain trauma. Specifically, we conducted a thorough literature review to identify cases of acquired aphantasia and mapped the lesion locations onto a common brain atlas. Next, to understand the impact of these injuries, we used extensive functional and structural brain atlases to analyze the connectivity patterns that may have been disrupted.

Q: What did you find?

Our findings revealed that individuals with acquired aphantasia had injuries in many different brain locations. However, 100% of cases were connected to the fusiform imagery node, a specialized region of the brain that is active during visual imagery tasks in healthy individuals. The fact that all identified cases were functionally linked to this specific brain region suggests a critical role for the fusiform imagery node in maintaining the capacity for visual imagination.

Q: What are the real-world implications, particularly for patients?

Strokes and traumatic brain injuries can lead to a wide range of symptoms, many of which are subjective and not observable to others. The capacity for imagination holds significant meaning and importance in people’s lives, making it particularly puzzling and surprising for patients when they discover that a stroke can alter this ability.

By recognizing that brain injuries can lead to changes in subjective, internal experiences, healthcare providers can help patients gain a better understanding of their symptoms during recovery. Moreover, understanding the link between brain injury and changes in imagination may inform future rehabilitation strategies, enhancing patient care and supporting a more holistic approach to recovery.

Q: What emerging trends in this field excite you right now?

Currently, there is a lively debate regarding whether conscious experience can arise from a single organized part of the brain or if widespread communication across multiple brain regions is needed. This question about the neuroscience of consciousness is particularly exciting as it may have implications for our understanding of potential AI consciousness.

Our discovery that disconnection of a specific brain region could extinguish visual imagination opens up intriguing avenues for future research—for example, exploring whether this region can produce visual imagination independently, or if it serves as a crucial nexus that requires coordinated communication with other brain regions.

Authorship: In addition to Kletenik and Kutsche, Mass General Brigham authors include Calvin Howard, William Drew, Alexander L. Cohen and Michael D. Fox. Additional authors include Alberto Castro Palacin and Matthias Michel.

Paper cited: Kutsche, J. et al. “Lesions Causing Aphantasia are Connected to the Fusiform Imagery Node.” Cortex. DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2026.01.009

Funding: Funding sources for this study include the German Academic Exchange Service’s Biomedical Education Program, the Canadian Clinician Investigator Program and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) NINDS (L30 NS134024).

Disclosures: Fox reported holding intellectual property on the use of brain connectivity imaging to analyze lesions and guide brain stimulation, as well as consulting for Magnus Medical, Soterix, Abbott, Boston Scientific and Tal Medical.

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Wildlife imaging shows that AI models aren’t as smart as we think

2026-03-03

Using AI to identify wildlife reveals a potential “transferability crisis”, researchers say. Marketing for AI imaging systems often suggests that models can easily tackle novel scenarios across ecosystems and settings, much in the same way as human observers. But in a new article, two University of Exeter researchers argue that this is based on a “flawed assumption”. They ...

Prolonged drought linked to instability in key nitrogen-cycling microbes in Connecticut salt marsh

2026-03-03

A prolonged drought in southeastern Connecticut reduced the stability of microorganisms responsible for a critical step in the nitrogen cycle in a coastal salt marsh, according to research led by a Connecticut College scientist and published in Estuaries and Coasts. The study was led by Anne Bernhard, professor of biology at Connecticut College. Bernhard and her co-author analyzed microbial communities in a salt marsh at the Barn Island Wildlife Management Area in Stonington, Connecticut, from 2006 to 2019. The period included a severe regional drought from 2013 to 2018. Researchers measured the abundance of microbial ...

Self-cleaning fuel cells? Researchers reveal steam-powered fix for ‘sulfur poisoning’

2026-03-03

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that directly convert chemical energy from a fuel into electrical energy. Unlike batteries, which only store electricity, fuel cells can continuously generate electricity as long as both fuel and air are supplied. A variety of fuels are being considered for such fuel cells, but the exact chemistries of their electricity-releasing reactions are complicated and not entirely understood. Gaps in this knowledge are some of the most critical barriers to deploying fuel-flexible clean energy technologies. For example, fuel cells that use solid oxides are susceptible to “sulfur poisoning,” where trace impurities of that element quickly ...

Bacteria found in mouth and gut may help protect against severe peanut allergic reactions

2026-03-03

One of the big mysteries in food allergy is why two people with similar levels of peanut specific antibodies can react so differently. It turns out the answer may be in the mouth and gut’s bacteria. A new study, led by researchers at McMaster University and published online in Cell Host & Microbe on March 3, 2026, shows for the first time how gut bacteria break down parts of an allergenic food and influence how a person reacts to peanuts. Peanut allergies are amongst the most common food allergies in Canada, ...

Ultra-processed foods in preschool years associated with behavioural difficulties in childhood

2026-03-03

A team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has found an association between ultra-processed foods in early childhood, and behavioural and emotional development. Specifically, the team found that higher ultra-processed food consumption is linked to behavioural and emotional difficulties including anxiety, fearfulness, aggression or hyperactivity. “The preschool years are critical for child development, and it’s also when children begin to establish dietary habits,” ...

A fanged frog long thought to be one species is revealing itself to be several

2026-03-03

When a new species is discovered, it’s tempting to imagine an adventure novel, said Chan Kin Onn of Michigan State University. “Most people have this image of an intrepid explorer braving an isolated mountain or some other remote place, and stumbling across a creature that no one has ever seen before,” Chan said. Sure, that still happens occasionally. “But most of the time it’s far less glamorous,” he added. Instead, the vast majority of new vertebrate species are “discovered” by revisiting known ...

Weill Cornell Medicine selected for Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Award

2026-03-03

Dr. Ekta Khurana, an associate professor of systems and computational biomedicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, has received a two-year, $1 million Challenge Award from the Prostate Cancer Foundation to work with researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on an AI-based method for early detection of treatment-resistant prostate tumor subtypes. Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Awards support cross-disciplinary teams of investigators to conduct bold research that might not receive funding otherwise. Dr. Khurana will be working with Dr. Iman Hajirasouliha, associate professor of systems biology and computational biomedicine at Weill ...

Largest high-precision 3D facial database built in China, enabling more lifelike digital humans

2026-03-03

In an elderly-care themed skit during the 2026 Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan), a lifelike android was modeled on actress CAI Ming. Why are humanoid robots becoming so lifelike and indistinguishable from real humans? One key technology enabling virtual humans to express vivid emotions, recognize identities, and demonstrate embodied intelligence is three-dimensional (3D) facial keypoint detection. However, due to the lack of large-scale, accurately annotated 3D facial datasets, most current 3D facial ...

SwRI upgrades facilities to expand subsurface safety valve testing to new application

2026-03-03

SAN ANTONIO — March 3, 2026 — To meet increasing demands for carbon capture and storage (CCS) services, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has completed updates to its subsurface safety valve (SSSV) facilities to accommodate testing for CCS applications. CCS mitigates carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by capturing CO2 from industrial or energy-related sources and transporting and storing the greenhouse gas safely underground to prevent release into the atmosphere. SSSVs are used in traditional oil and gas operations to serve ...

Iron deficiency blocks the growth of young pancreatic cells

2026-03-03

The beta cells in our pancreas act as highly sensitive sensors that constantly measure the amount of sugar in our blood. As soon as we eat something and the sugar level rises, the beta cells produce insulin to help the body process the sugar properly. This process requires an enormous amount of energy from the cells, which they generate in their own internal power stations, the mitochondria. Research now shows that iron is the crucial fuel that enables these power plants to function during cell growth. "During ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Tiny flows, big insights: microfluidics system boosts super-resolution microscopy

Pennington Biomedical researcher publishes editorial in leading American Heart Association journal

New tool reveals the secrets of HIV-infected cells

HMH scientists calculate breathing-brain wave rhythms in deepest sleep

Electron microscopy shows ‘mouse bite’ defects in semiconductors

Ochsner Children's CEO joins Make-A-Wish Board