Cited by 765Visual perception and processing mechanismsMemory Processes and InfluencesFace Recognition and Perception

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Brain areas underlying visual mental imagery and visual perception: an fMRI study

Ganis, Giorgio, Thompson, William L, Kosslyn, Stephen M·2004·Cognitive Brain Research

DOI 10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2004.02.012

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Abstract

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess the maximal degree of shared neural processing in visual mental imagery and visual perception. Participants either visualized or saw faint drawings of simple objects, and then judged specific aspects of the drawings (which could only be evaluated properly if they used the correct stimulus). The results document that visual imagery and visual perception draw on most of the same neural machinery. However, although the vast majority of activated voxels were activated during both conditions, the spatial overlap was neither complete nor uniform; the overlap was much more pronounced in frontal and parietal regions than in temporal and occipital regions. This finding may indicate that cognitive control processes function comparably in both imagery and perception, whereas at least some sensory processes may be engaged differently by visual imagery and perception.

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Authors: Ganis, G., Thompson, W. L., & Kosslyn, S. M.
Affiliations: Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author: Ganis, Giorgio
ORCID: Ganis, Giorgio
Thompson, William L
Kosslyn, Stephen M
Venue: Cognitive Brain Research
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2004-07
Volume: 20
Issue: 2
Pages: 226-241
ISSN: 0926-6410 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2004.02.012
OpenAlex: W2134888862
Cited by: 765
References: 60
Citations by year: 2026: 17 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 41 · 2016: 45 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 38
FWCI: 11.43
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Cognitive Brain Research (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH060734, 5 R01 MH60734)
National Center for Research Resources (P41-RR-14075, P41RR014075)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
Keywords: visual imagery, visual perception, brain regions, cognitive control, frontal cortex, parietal cortex, temporal cortex, occipital cortex, object visualization
MeSH terms: Adult, Cerebellum, Cerebral Cortex, Cognition, Female, Humans, Imagination, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Parietal Lobe, Temporal Lobe, Thalamic Nuclei, Visual Cortex, Visual Perception, Prefrontal Cortex

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Brain areas underlying visual mental imagery and visual perception: an fMRI study

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