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Mental imagery research has weathered both disbelief of the phenomenon and inherent methodological limitations. Here we review recent behavioral, brain imaging, and clinical research that has reshaped our understanding of mental imagery. Research supports the claim that visual mental imagery is a depictive internal representation that functions like a weak form of perception. Brain imaging work has demonstrated that neural representations of mental and perceptual images resemble one another as early as the primary visual cortex (V1). Activity patterns in V1 encode mental images and perceptual images via a common set of low-level depictive visual features. Recent translational and clinical research reveals the pivotal role that imagery plays in many mental disorders and suggests how clinicians can utilize imagery in treatment.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.tics.2015.08.003

Type

Journal article

Journal

Trends Cogn Sci

Publication Date

10/2015

Volume

19

Pages

590 - 602

Keywords

Brain, Humans, Imagination, Memory, Short-Term, Perception