Both my brother and I have aphantasia, though neither of our parents have it, nor 3/4 grandparents.

What’s maybe most interesting, is that we both seem to have “spatial” perception.

To try and be a bit more specific, when I think about “things” I can organize them in my mind in relation to other “things.”

The most clear example is a path I’ve walked through a building, where the halls, rooms, and corridors are all connected. I easily know exactly where I am, not because I remember the literal steps I took, but because I have a spatial construction in my mind.

I cannot visualize the space, there’s no inherent right side up or preferred perspective. I can model the space with my hands, and create it physically, but am terrible at trying to transform it to 2d.

This doesn’t just work for physical “things” but works for purely abstract concepts like software, stories, and songs.

I’ve always rationalized aphantasia as something where my brain put “skill points” in one area rather than another, but maybe the neuroplasticity is long gone.