Mental Imagery: Visual Cognition

Mental imagery can be defined as a quasi-perceptual experience occurring in the absence of perceptual input. The present article provides a review of the key processes involved in mental imagery, the relationship of imagery to working memory, and of the debate on the underlying format of mental images. We also review the functional significance of imagery in a range of cognitive processes, such as memory, creative thinking, reasoning, and problem solving. Finally, the brain basis of mental imagery and its overlap with the cortical regions involved in visual perception are discussed.