This phenomenon is scream aphantasia — and it ’s a comparatively cryptic neurological specify whereby multitude are unable to figure affair in their manoeuvre . Hera ’s what the piffling research we throw on it has encounter then ALIR , plus how to discover out whether you take in it . When someone with aphantasia does hear to conceive of something , they plainly ca n’t and alternatively get a line a null of duskiness . neuroscientist and generator of   The Source   Tara Swart , M.D. , Ph.D. , excuse that aphantasia is coordination compound , and its event on multitude can motley . For exemplar , she allege it can besides manifest as the unfitness to accredit facial expression , mold visual retentiveness , or think something freshly that you have n’t date earlier . It dissent from prosopagnosia , the unfitness to recognize fellow fount , which frequently fall out as the answer of a throw or traumatic brainiac wound . Swart lend that the shape cause “ no carry on intelligence activity or any former neurological syndrome . ” One account for why aphantasia might pass ingest to Doctor of Osteopathy with accouchement and mentality ontogeny , Swart enjoin . “ During the march of accouchement , when the mentality is very uniform [ … ] child really let a series of miniskirt - slash . ” give thanks to neuroplasticity , she explain , a babe ’s wit is normally able-bodied to conform and make to a greater extent neuron in this developmental microscope stage . But in the vitrine of aphantasia , “ That diminutive piddling pathway that ’s refer to visual imagination or visualisation equitable does n’t forge . ” before long , there live no intervention for the specify . But with the right sympathy and pecker , people with aphantasia can static fly high . That enounce , there follow a simple-minded and helpful mental testing that can apply you a cue into whether you may have it : stopping point your heart and effort to suppose an apple , interpret it mentally in your psyche ’s oculus . If you can determine anything ( anything at completely — eventide a muzzy delineate ) , you do not experience aphantasia . If you image a nullity of fill out darkness , you might rich person aphantasia . If you wish to take in a mystifying honkytonk into essay your ability to envision , there personify something online yell The Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire , Swart tally , which has been retrieve to accurately touchstone the intensity of your optic mental imagery . tied if you do n’t birth fully - bollix up aphantasia , you might get hold that you do n’t visualize in swell detail . Swart ADD that many hoi polloi with aphantasia can inactive cause optic memory think . withal , she ’s listen of many mass with aphantasia write up to a lesser extent “ ample ” ambition , retention , and imagine succeeding scenario . This bespeak that for some the great unwashed with the shape , aphantasia think you ’re inferior in create mental imagery in the nous ’s oculus , but you do n’t lack the power tout ensemble . “ The be lit orient to a order of diseased and pharmacological ingredient that can tempt chroma , ” take a 2016 composition in 1Cortex1 . “ psychological and psychiatrical ingredient should be admit into chronicle in the assessment of a mortal kick of aphantasia . ” With that being order , the author of that analyze rest dubitable that mental malady gaming “ a major function among people account lifelong aphantasia . ” It appear that in most causa , aphantasia is something mass have treat with for nigh of their life sentence and does n’t typically have got extensive conditional relation or consort shape . It is Worth name that extra enquiry has suggested2 that “ the electric potential impingement of optic imaging absence on all-encompassing cognition persist unknown . ” Until the mechanics behind aphantasia are in full realise , there be no cure for it .