Scientists Identify Key Brain Network for Creativity

Neuroscientists believe they have pinpointed the extensive neural network that fuels the brain’s creativity. Unlike specific movements or sensory responses, creative thinking is not limited to a single area of the brain’s outer cortex. However, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine have identified the brain circuits crucial to certain types of creative thought.

When nine adult participants had specific parts of their default mode network (DMN) temporarily suppressed through deep brain stimulation, their ability to think creatively diminished.

The DMN activates when the mind drifts freely between thoughts, facilitating the generation of unique ideas by linking seemingly unrelated concepts. While previous brain imaging studies had associated DMN activity with creativity, in 2022, University of Tel Aviv neurosurgeon Ben Shofty and his team established a causal link between the two.

Impact of DMN Inhibition on Creativity During Awake Brain Tumor Surgeries

During brain tumor removal surgeries on awake patients, the researchers found that electrically inhibiting the DMN disrupted creative thinking, as participants struggled to generate novel uses for everyday objects like chairs or cups.

In collaboration with the University of Utah, Shofty and his team demonstrated a similar effect using invasive epilepsy monitoring. This advanced technique involves implanting brain electrodes for deep brain stimulation, allowing scientists to observe changes in electrical activity and their impact on creativity.

Unlike fMRI studies that infer brain activity from changes in blood oxygen flow, electroencephalograms measure neuronal electrical activity directly in real time. Electrodes implanted within the brain provide even more precise readings compared to those placed on the scalp.

Epilepsy Patients Tested on Creative Thinking with Implanted Electrodes

In the study, 13 epilepsy patients with implanted electrodes were tasked with listing as many novel uses for a common object as possible within a minute.

“We observed brain activity within the first few milliseconds of initiating creative thinking,” says Shofty.

Initially, the DMN was the first area to activate. It soon synchronized with other brain regions involved in problem-solving and decision-making.

Shofty suggests that this indicates the DMN is responsible for retrieving and organizing various types of information to generate new ideas before passing them on to regions involved in critical thinking. This ‘top-down’ approach helps the brain filter out irrelevant associations and focus on useful, novel thoughts, the authors explain.

These findings shed light on why activities like showering, which allow the mind to wander, can stimulate original thoughts and solutions.

Among the 13 participants, specific parts of the DMN were linked to lateral thinking, while others were associated with mind wandering. Temporarily suppressing the DMN regions related to lateral thinking made it more difficult for patients to come up with novel uses for everyday items, though their ability to let their minds wander remained unaffected.

“We have advanced beyond correlational evidence by applying direct brain stimulation,” says neurosurgeon Eleonora Bartoli from Baylor College of Medicine.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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