I have Parkinson’s disease and also live with aphantasia – which means I don’t have a “mind’s eye” and can’t create mental pictures. For example, if I try to imagine an apple, I know what an apple looks like, but I can’t actually see it in my head.
I’ve noticed that some people with PD mention changes in their dreams or mental imagery, which got me wondering:
• Does anyone else here with Parkinson’s also experience aphantasia?
• If you do, did it start long before PD, or did it come on afterwards?
• Have you noticed any changes in your ability to imagine or visualise things since your diagnosis?
I’d be really interested to hear about your experiences. It might help us understand whether there’s a connection between Parkinson’s and aphantasia.
Thank you for your thoughtful and interesting questions, Paul. Aphantasia is not commonly discussed in relation to Parkinson’s, so your experience and observations are valuable. Some people with Parkinson’s do report changes with sleep patterns, but it’s less clear how common aphantasia specifically is among the community. If others have noticed similar experiences—whether it started before or after diagnosis—it would be helpful to hear from you. Sharing your stories could indeed shed more light on possible connections and help everyone better understand how Parkinson’s may affect mental imagery.