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Updated: May 28, 2026
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Cerebral Blood Flow-Based Resting State Functional Connectivity of the Human Brain using Optical Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy
Published on: May 27, 2020
Cerebral blood flow during rest associates with general intelligence and creativity
Hikaru Takeuchi1, Yasuyuki Taki, Hiroshi Hashizume
1Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. takehi@idac.tohoku.ac.jp
Plos One
|October 8, 2011
Summary
Resting brain blood flow in gray and white matter correlates with general intelligence. Creativity is linked to white matter blood flow and precuneus activity, suggesting resting brain function supports cognition.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Physiology
Background:
- Research increasingly focuses on resting brain activity, particularly functional connectivity.
- However, absolute measures of resting brain activity, like cerebral blood flow (CBF), and their cognitive correlates remain underexplored.
- Understanding absolute resting brain activity is crucial for a comprehensive view of brain function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between cognitive functions (psychometric intelligence and creativity) and absolute resting brain activity, specifically resting cerebral blood flow (rest-CBF).
- To examine how mean gray matter, mean white matter, and regional rest-CBF relate to individual differences in intelligence and creativity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multiple regression analyses to examine associations between cognitive factors and rest-CBF.
- Measured rest-CBF using arterial spin labeling.
- Analyzed mean gray matter rest-CBF, mean white matter rest-CBF, and regional rest-CBF, including adjustments for gray matter density.
Main Results:
- Mean gray and white matter rest-CBF positively correlated with psychometric intelligence.
- Mean white matter rest-CBF positively correlated with creativity.
- Regional rest-CBF in the perisylvian cluster (superior temporal gyrus, insula) correlated with intelligence, and in the precuneus with creativity (negatively).
Conclusions:
- Resting cerebral blood flow, both mean and regional, is associated with cognitive functions in healthy young adults.
- These findings suggest that resting brain activity, potentially reflecting intrinsic cognitive processes or metabolic demands, is linked to cognitive abilities.
- Highlights the importance of absolute measures of resting brain activity in understanding cognitive function.
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