A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies on divergent thinking using activation likelihood estimation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Divergent thinking is crucial for creativity and problem-solving.
• Understanding the neural underpinnings of divergent thinking is essential for cognitive science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively investigate neuroimaging studies on divergent thinking using activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis.
• To identify brain regions and networks associated with creative idea generation during divergent thinking tasks (DTTs).

Main Methods:

• Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and structural MRI studies.
• Quantitative synthesis of neuroimaging data to identify consistent patterns of brain activation and structure.

Main Results:

• fMRI studies revealed distributed brain activation, including the lateral prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex (e.g., BA 40, BA 7), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, BA 32), and temporal cortex regions (e.g., BA 39, BA 37).
• Specific regions like the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 46) were linked to concept selection and idea organization, while the ACC (BA 32) was associated with semantic association.
• Structural MRI studies indicated a relationship between divergent thinking and the dopaminergic system (e.g., left caudate and claustrum).

Conclusions:

• Divergent thinking involves complex interactions within widespread brain networks.
• Both fMRI and structural MRI provide complementary insights into the neural basis of divergent thinking, encompassing cognitive processing and individual differences.