Creative thought, a uniquely human trait, often strikes unexpectedly, solving tough problems when we least expect it. Understanding the neurological basis of this ability, what happens in our brains when we think creatively,has been challenging.
Now, a team led by a University of Utah Health researcher at Baylor College of Medicine has used advanced brain imaging to reveal how different brain regions collaborate during creative thinking. Their findings, published in BRAIN on June 18, shed new light on this elusive process.
The new findings may eventually lead to treatments that stimulate creative thinking or assist individuals affected by mental illnesses impacting these brain regions.
Creativity, unlike motor skills or vision, doesn’t rely on a specific brain area. According to Ben Shofty, MD, PhD, from the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, there isn’t a single “creativity cortex.” However, research shows that creativity is a unique brain function. Stroke-induced brain damage affecting specific areas can alter creative abilities, indicating it’s feasible to pinpoint the neurological roots of creativity.
Shofty suspected that creative thinking relies heavily on brain regions activated during meditation, daydreaming, and other types of internal thinking. These areas form the default mode network (DMN), known for its spontaneous thought patterns when not focused on specific tasks. Unlike many brain functions, the DMN operates continuously, maintaining our stream of consciousness.
Tracking DMN activity in real time across dispersed brain regions is challenging. Researchers used a sophisticated brain imaging method typically used for locating seizures in epilepsy patients: tiny electrodes implanted in the brain to monitor electrical activity.
During the study, participants undergoing seizure monitoring also had their brain activity measured while engaged in creative tasks. This approach offered unprecedented insights into the neural mechanisms of creativity, revealing brain activity within milliseconds of initiating creative thinking.
During a task where participants brainstormed new uses for everyday items like chairs or cups, researchers observed that the default mode network (DMN) became active first. This network then synchronized with other brain regions involved in problem-solving and decision-making. According to Shofty, this suggests that creative ideas originate in the DMN before being assessed by other brain areas.
Additionally, the researchers found that specific parts of the DMN are crucial for creative thinking. By temporarily reducing activity in these regions using electrodes, they noted that participants generated less creative ideas for the items they were shown. Other brain functions, such as daydreaming, remained unaffected.
Eleonora Bartoli, PhD, from Baylor College of Medicine and co-first author of the study, explains that their research demonstrates creativity isn’t just linked to the default mode network (DMN) but actually depends on it.
Using direct brain stimulation, they showed the DMN plays a causal role in creative thinking. Disorders like ruminative depression, where the DMN is overly active, may be linked to excessive negative internal thoughts. Understanding the normal function of the DMN could lead to improved treatments for such conditions.
Shofty aims to characterize brain regions involved in creativity to develop interventions that could enhance creative thinking, envisioning a future where understanding DMN activity might foster creativity.
Journal reference:
- Eleonora Bartoli, Ethan Devara et al., Default mode network electrophysiological dynamics and causal role in creative thinking. Brain. DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae199.