Training in the adolescent brain: An fMRI training study on divergent thinking

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Adolescence is a sensitive period for learning and skill acquisition.
• Divergent thinking, a key component of creativity, may benefit from targeted training during this period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying divergent thinking training in adolescents.
• To compare the effects of divergent thinking training versus rule switching training on cognitive performance and brain activity.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess brain activity before and after training.
• Participants (15-16 years old) underwent either divergent thinking training or an active control (rule switching training).
• An alternative uses task measured divergent thinking performance.

Main Results:

• The divergent thinking training group maintained performance, while the control group showed a decline.
• Generating alternative uses, compared to ordinary characteristics, increased activation in the supramarginal gyrus (SMG), angular gyrus (AG), and middle temporal gyrus (MTG).
• Improvements in divergent thinking fluency correlated with increased activation in the superior lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC).

Conclusions:

• Core brain regions supporting creativity (SMG, AG, MTG) are active during adolescence.
• Training-induced improvements in divergent thinking are associated with neural changes in the lateral PFC.
• Adolescence represents a critical window for enhancing creative thinking skills through targeted interventions.