Is there a common substrate for visual recognition and visual imagery?

Abstract

An analysis of cases of preserved imagery with disturbed perception of objects suggests that visual imagery does not depend on the integrity of topographically organized early visual cortex or of a visual buffer common to perception and imagery. There appears to be only partial overlap between the memory representations used for recognizing and for imagining objects. Presemantic structural representations are important for object recognition but may not be useful for creating mental visual images. It is proposed that visual imagery is based exclusively on semantic knowledge about the visual appearance of objects. This knowledge may be used for object recognition under some special circumstances but its major role is to be sought beyond object recognition. It may originate from a genuine interest for the visual features of objects which receives reinforcement by the high value given to visual arts in education and culture.