Olfactory Aphantasia
Olfactory aphantasia is the inability to voluntarily create mental smell experiences - a 'scent-free imagination.' This can occur independently or as part of multisensory aphantasia where multiple forms of mental imagery are affected. Like other forms of aphantasia, olfactory aphantasia can be present from birth (congenital) or develop later in life (acquired). This variation helps researchers understand how the brain processes and remembers smell experiences without mental simulation. On this page, you'll find aphantasia research, personal stories, and community discussions about olfactory aphantasia.
Expanding Aphantasia Definition: Researchers Propose New Boundaries
Researchers expand aphantasia definition beyond "inability to visualize." This broader framework impacts how we understand and identify with the condition.
Definition: Aphantasia
Zeman, A., Monzel, M., Pearson, J., Scholz, C. O., & Simner, J. (2025). Definition: aphantasia. Cortex, 182, 212–213. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2024.07.019
Proposal for a consistent definition of aphantasia and hyperphantasia: A response to Lambert and Sibley (2022) and Simner and Dance (2022)
Monzel, M., Mitchell, D., Macpherson, F., Pearson, J., & Zeman, A. (2022). Proposal for a consistent definition of aphantasia and hyperphantasia: a response to lambert and sibley (2022) and simner and dance (2022). Cortex, 152, 74–76. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2022.04.003
3 Things I Learned From Having Multisensory Aphantasia That Changed My Understanding Of The World
My journey understanding the cognitive profiles of aphantasia and hyperphantasia started when I learned at age 30 that most of you have a superpower I don’t.
Switching The Focus From Visual Imagery
A case for studying mental imagery as a whole
Think of a Horse: Describing Aphantasia
How do you describe aphantasia? Founder of Aphantasia Network often gets asked this question. His answer? Think of a horse.
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