Abstract:  Visual mental imagery is defined as the representation of visual information in human brain without external sensory stimuli, which plays an essential role in most of human’s mental activities. In this paper, we reviewed a theoretical computational model of visual mental imagery and summarized the essential components of visual imagery generation system with its corresponding neural basis. This paper highlights that the great importance of primary visual cortex in visual imagery process as it works as a “visual buffer” for generating visual information mentally. Factors that affect the production of visual mental imagery were also outlined. By offering a comprehensive understanding model of the processing of visual mental imagery, this paper may facilitate the further researches on visual mental imagery.

Key words: visual imagery, generation system, visual buffer, computational theory, neural mechanisms