Training your brain to be more creative: brain functional and structural changes induced by divergent thinking...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Creativity, defined as novel and useful output, is crucial for personal and societal advancement.
• While behavioral improvements in creativity are documented, the neuroplasticity of underlying brain functions and structures remains less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neuroplasticity of creativity following a cognitive stimulation intervention.
• To examine behavioral, functional, and structural brain changes associated with enhanced creativity.

Main Methods:

• A 20-session cognitive stimulation training program was administered to subjects.
• Behavioral assessments of divergent thinking (originality and fluency) were conducted.
• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and gray matter volume (GMV) analysis were used to assess brain changes.

Main Results:

• Training significantly improved both originality and fluency of divergent thinking.
• Functional brain changes were observed in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and posterior regions.
• Gray matter volume in the dACC showed a significant increase post-training.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive training enhances creativity through improvements in divergent thinking.
• Enhanced creativity involves neuroplasticity in both posterior brain regions (semantic processing, association) and prefrontal regions (cognitive control).
• The dACC and DLPFC play key roles in top-down control contributing to creativity enhancement.