This probably accounts for some of the variation between people. I notice that I can't really tell if I have aphantasia or not. I know that in my younger years

This probably accounts for some of the variation between people. I notice that I can't really tell if I have aphantasia or not. I know that in my younger years (say, up to 15) I drew a bit. I remember that, for simple shapes, I could my 'mental eye' to come up with an image and trace it on the paper. However, I stopped drawing at about 15 or 16, and did a lot of programming and math. I find it really hard to come up with a mental image of anything. Even if I think about the face of my girlfriend I can only give particular features without really having a sharp image of her face. So my impression is that it is trainable (and the skill fades if not used).