Jianghao Liu
@jianghaoliu.bsky.social
postdoc on cognitive neuroscience. I’m interested in mental imagery, mental simulation and aphantasia.
my website: https://jianghao-liu.github.io
my website: https://jianghao-liu.github.io
6/8 In this model, aphantasia is primarily a deficit in top-down attentional control. While some subliminal or preconscious visual processing is preserved, whereas conscious imagery is limited due to reduced functional disconnection.
August 21, 2025 at 3:45 PM
6/8 In this model, aphantasia is primarily a deficit in top-down attentional control. While some subliminal or preconscious visual processing is preserved, whereas conscious imagery is limited due to reduced functional disconnection.
5/8 i proposed a putative neural basis of such process in typical visualizers:
-> dorsal attention network: hierarchical processing: generation (lIFG, IPS); integration (FIN), and amplification (PFC)
-> ventral attention network: switching between internal/external states and suppresses distractors.
-> dorsal attention network: hierarchical processing: generation (lIFG, IPS); integration (FIN), and amplification (PFC)
-> ventral attention network: switching between internal/external states and suppresses distractors.
August 21, 2025 at 3:45 PM
5/8 i proposed a putative neural basis of such process in typical visualizers:
-> dorsal attention network: hierarchical processing: generation (lIFG, IPS); integration (FIN), and amplification (PFC)
-> ventral attention network: switching between internal/external states and suppresses distractors.
-> dorsal attention network: hierarchical processing: generation (lIFG, IPS); integration (FIN), and amplification (PFC)
-> ventral attention network: switching between internal/external states and suppresses distractors.
4/8 Based on global neuronal workspace theory, i attempted to elaborate such additional processes for #voluntary imagery and #spontaneous imagery compared to conscious access in perception.
August 21, 2025 at 3:45 PM
4/8 Based on global neuronal workspace theory, i attempted to elaborate such additional processes for #voluntary imagery and #spontaneous imagery compared to conscious access in perception.
Is vivid imagery reported faster than weak imagery?
YES. There is an inverse correlation between subjective vividness and RTs in imagery tasks (N=117).
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
YES. There is an inverse correlation between subjective vividness and RTs in imagery tasks (N=117).
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
July 23, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Is vivid imagery reported faster than weak imagery?
YES. There is an inverse correlation between subjective vividness and RTs in imagery tasks (N=117).
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
YES. There is an inverse correlation between subjective vividness and RTs in imagery tasks (N=117).
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
Differences: 1. although aphantasics encoded stimulus content during imagery, these representations differed from ones elicited by perception. 2.aphantasics exhibited reduced connectivity between anterior visual areas and the OFC patches (exert top-down modulation in visualisers)
June 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Differences: 1. although aphantasics encoded stimulus content during imagery, these representations differed from ones elicited by perception. 2.aphantasics exhibited reduced connectivity between anterior visual areas and the OFC patches (exert top-down modulation in visualisers)
Aphantasia has a higher activation of the #ventralAttentionNetwork in both imagery and perception (connected with the left imagery network), this aberrant activation might heighten susceptibility to external interference, potentially either destabilizing or suppressing imagery.
June 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Aphantasia has a higher activation of the #ventralAttentionNetwork in both imagery and perception (connected with the left imagery network), this aberrant activation might heighten susceptibility to external interference, potentially either destabilizing or suppressing imagery.
Critically, the FIN was functionally disconnected with the left anterior PFC across domains, and with left FEF for some domains. This is highly potentially related to visual #awareness of internally generated experience in aphantasia (see above TICS letter).
June 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Critically, the FIN was functionally disconnected with the left anterior PFC across domains, and with left FEF for some domains. This is highly potentially related to visual #awareness of internally generated experience in aphantasia (see above TICS letter).
In both imagery and perception, both groups activated a specific left fusiform area, termed Fusiform Imagery Node (FIN), across domains. While the representation of the same stimuli in imagery and perception was correlated in visualisers, this overlap was absent in aphantasia.
June 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
In both imagery and perception, both groups activated a specific left fusiform area, termed Fusiform Imagery Node (FIN), across domains. While the representation of the same stimuli in imagery and perception was correlated in visualisers, this overlap was absent in aphantasia.
During imagery attemps, in each domain, they have corresponding domain-specific areas activated in the high-level visual cortex, such as FFA for faces, vWFA for words, color-biased areas, PPA for map.
June 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
During imagery attemps, in each domain, they have corresponding domain-specific areas activated in the high-level visual cortex, such as FFA for faces, vWFA for words, color-biased areas, PPA for map.
Congenital aphantasia struggles to visualize objects despite being able to describe their visual appearance. In both imagery and perceptual tasks, their RTs were slower and they had lower confidence in their responses on perceptual tasks. doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
June 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Congenital aphantasia struggles to visualize objects despite being able to describe their visual appearance. In both imagery and perceptual tasks, their RTs were slower and they had lower confidence in their responses on perceptual tasks. doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
📢"Aphantasia as a functional disconnection"! in TICS
A disconnection between the Fusiform Imagery Node (FIN) & the left PFC may explain retained memory for objects, despite lacking subjective imagery in aphantasics.
left PFC, awareness, attention network...🧵
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lCs3_V1r-...
A disconnection between the Fusiform Imagery Node (FIN) & the left PFC may explain retained memory for objects, despite lacking subjective imagery in aphantasics.
left PFC, awareness, attention network...🧵
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lCs3_V1r-...
June 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
📢"Aphantasia as a functional disconnection"! in TICS
A disconnection between the Fusiform Imagery Node (FIN) & the left PFC may explain retained memory for objects, despite lacking subjective imagery in aphantasics.
left PFC, awareness, attention network...🧵
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lCs3_V1r-...
A disconnection between the Fusiform Imagery Node (FIN) & the left PFC may explain retained memory for objects, despite lacking subjective imagery in aphantasics.
left PFC, awareness, attention network...🧵
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lCs3_V1r-...
(4/5) During imagery maintenance period, aphantasics showed reduced activity in the #OFC, but not in any areas of the visual cortex. (Could this be related to a "only flash of imagery" experienced by some aphantasics?🤔
May 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM
(4/5) During imagery maintenance period, aphantasics showed reduced activity in the #OFC, but not in any areas of the visual cortex. (Could this be related to a "only flash of imagery" experienced by some aphantasics?🤔
(3/5) However, there are #three group differences.
1. although aphantasics encoded stimulus content during imagery, these representations differed from those elicited by perception.
2. aphantasics exhibited reduced connectivity between the OFC and anterior visual areas.
1. although aphantasics encoded stimulus content during imagery, these representations differed from those elicited by perception.
2. aphantasics exhibited reduced connectivity between the OFC and anterior visual areas.
May 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM
(3/5) However, there are #three group differences.
1. although aphantasics encoded stimulus content during imagery, these representations differed from those elicited by perception.
2. aphantasics exhibited reduced connectivity between the OFC and anterior visual areas.
1. although aphantasics encoded stimulus content during imagery, these representations differed from those elicited by perception.
2. aphantasics exhibited reduced connectivity between the OFC and anterior visual areas.
(1/5) Category-specific visual processing in #aphantasia?
Using 7T fMRI, we systematically examined face and color patches and found that aphantasics have normal activity in the VOTC visual cortex, but deficits in (top-down) OFC activity. Check our preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Using 7T fMRI, we systematically examined face and color patches and found that aphantasics have normal activity in the VOTC visual cortex, but deficits in (top-down) OFC activity. Check our preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
May 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM
(1/5) Category-specific visual processing in #aphantasia?
Using 7T fMRI, we systematically examined face and color patches and found that aphantasics have normal activity in the VOTC visual cortex, but deficits in (top-down) OFC activity. Check our preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Using 7T fMRI, we systematically examined face and color patches and found that aphantasics have normal activity in the VOTC visual cortex, but deficits in (top-down) OFC activity. Check our preprint: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
(7/9) Beside face and color patches, are there patches for other categories (e.g. words, bodies) in the OFC? We found OFC #word patches whose activity was correlated with a word-similarity effect (varied letters, bigrams, quadrigrams with increasing similarity to real words).
May 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
(7/9) Beside face and color patches, are there patches for other categories (e.g. words, bodies) in the OFC? We found OFC #word patches whose activity was correlated with a word-similarity effect (varied letters, bigrams, quadrigrams with increasing similarity to real words).
(6/9) Distinct functional connectivity: during perception, wide-spread connectivity between the V1, VOTC, and OFC patches. During imagery, V1 and the post posterior VOTC patches were not connected, while the OFC and the anterior VOTC patches remained strongly interconnected.
May 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
(6/9) Distinct functional connectivity: during perception, wide-spread connectivity between the V1, VOTC, and OFC patches. During imagery, V1 and the post posterior VOTC patches were not connected, while the OFC and the anterior VOTC patches remained strongly interconnected.
(5/9) The OFC patches also encoded behaviourally relevant content: OFC face patches represented social identity and OFC colour patches represented visual colour appearance.
May 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
(5/9) The OFC patches also encoded behaviourally relevant content: OFC face patches represented social identity and OFC colour patches represented visual colour appearance.
(4/9) The OFC and VOTC patches exhibit continuous, similar trends of category selectivity (cumulating in OFC), but opposite trends of activity amplitude, during perception and imagery (in the absence of direct visual stimuli).
May 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
(4/9) The OFC and VOTC patches exhibit continuous, similar trends of category selectivity (cumulating in OFC), but opposite trends of activity amplitude, during perception and imagery (in the absence of direct visual stimuli).
(2/9) The human ventral occipitotemporal cortex (VOTC) contains multiple category-specific areas. However, the category-specific processing beyond VOTC remains less explored. Using 7T fMRI (1.2mm no smooth), we observed #face and #color patches in the OFC in most individuals.
May 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
(1/9)Thrilled to share our new preprint🧠Using 7T fMRI, we report the presence of face-, color- and word-specific patches in the human #orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), which form continuous functional gradients with VOTC patches.
Link: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
w/@zhanminye.bsky.social, Paolo, and Laurent.
Link: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
w/@zhanminye.bsky.social, Paolo, and Laurent.
May 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
(1/9)Thrilled to share our new preprint🧠Using 7T fMRI, we report the presence of face-, color- and word-specific patches in the human #orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), which form continuous functional gradients with VOTC patches.
Link: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
w/@zhanminye.bsky.social, Paolo, and Laurent.
Link: doi.org/10.1101/2025...
w/@zhanminye.bsky.social, Paolo, and Laurent.
Could we consider aphantasia as unconscious mental imagery? We argue that the aphantasia doesn’t meet a critical criterion for (unconscious) imagery: Representations during imagery are perceptual-like.
Check our letter here :
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
Check our letter here :
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
January 19, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Could we consider aphantasia as unconscious mental imagery? We argue that the aphantasia doesn’t meet a critical criterion for (unconscious) imagery: Representations during imagery are perceptual-like.
Check our letter here :
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
Check our letter here :
doi.org/10.31234/osf...