In most people's brains, auditory and visual senses work together. Auditory information influences the activity in the brain regions processing vision. However, researchers at the University of Glasgow in Scotland reported in the November 4 issue of "Current Biology" that in individuals with aphantasia, this connection is not as strong.
In an experiment, participants with their eyes covered were asked to listen to three soundscapes: a forest filled with birds, a crowd, and a bustling street. Through brain scans of the participants, researchers found that for 10 individuals without aphantasia, these auditory scenes produced reliable neural markers in certain regions of the brain's visual cortex. However, for 23 aphantasia patients, these markers were weaker.
The researchers stated that these findings underscore the varying strengths of connections between brain regions responsible for different senses. When these connections are too strong, symptoms of "Synesthesia" can occur, where sounds and visuals are closely intertwined. Conversely, when the connections are too weak, aphantasia can arise, where sounds do not trigger any visual experiences, or even faint experiences are absent.
The researchers noted that these results help explain the differences in the brains of individuals with aphantasia and provide clues for broader brain research.
Research Reveals Weaker Cross-Modal Connections in Aphantasia
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