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Intrinsic default-executive coupling of the creative aging brain
Areeba Adnan1, Roger Beaty2, Jaeger Lam1
1Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario Canada.
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
|February 21, 2019
Summary
Creative cognition in older adults involves stronger connections between brain networks, particularly the default network and executive control networks. This suggests memory processes play a larger role in creativity as we age.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Creativity, the generation of novel associations, is vital for problem-solving.
- In younger adults, creativity links to functional connectivity in executive control (fronto-parietal network, salience network) and default networks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between intrinsic brain network architecture and creativity.
- To investigate age-related differences in these associations between younger and older adults.
Main Methods:
- Multi-echo functional MRI scans at rest were performed on young (n=22, mean age 24.76) and older adults (n=44, mean age 70.03).
- A divergent-thinking task assessed creative cognition.
- Resting-state functional connectivity was analyzed.
Main Results:
- Older adults showed greater functional connectivity between the default network and executive control networks (fronto-parietal and salience networks) during divergent thinking.
- Widespread default-executive coupling was observed in older adults.
- The ventromedial prefrontal cortex was identified as a key node for within- and between-network connectivity related to creativity in older age.
Conclusions:
- Brain network connectivity patterns associated with creativity differ between younger and older adults.
- Enhanced default-executive network coupling in older adults may reflect a greater reliance on mnemonic processes for creative cognition.
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