Visual imagery: an interaction between memory retrieval and focal attention

Abstract

Visual experience can be reproduced mentally by the function of visual imagery. We proposed that visual imagery is implemented by the same neural mechanism that subserves memory retrieval in vision ~ . This proposal agrees with the result reported by Roland and Guly&s 2, that occipito-temporal visual association areas are involved in visual imagery. The main controversial point is their claim that visual imagery, with the exception of very primitive com- ponential imagery, does not require topographical representation. However, we will show that topo- graphical representation might subserve visual imagery when the subject is scrutinizing attentively local features of objects that are stored in memory. One of the critical points in our commentary is the attentional influence on early visual areas during visual imagery. Furthermore, we propose a model that represents visual imagery as an interaction between memory retrieval and focal attention mechanisms.