1
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Harada T. Q-learning model of insight problem solving and the effects of learning traits on creativity. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1287624. [PMID: 38259581 PMCID: PMC10800724 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1287624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the fact that insight is a crucial component of creative thought, the means by which it is cultivated remain unknown. The effects of learning traits on insight, specifically, has not been the subject of investigation in pertinent research. This study quantitatively examines the effects of individual differences in learning traits estimated using a Q-learning model within the reinforcement learning framework and evaluates their effects on insight problem solving in two tasks, the 8-coin and 9-dot problems, which fall under the umbrella term "spatial insight problems." Although the learning characteristics of the two problems were different, the results showed that there was a transfer of learning between them. In particular, performance on the insight tasks improved with increasing experience. Moreover, loss-taking, as opposed to loss aversion, had a significant effect on performance in both tasks, depending on the amount of experience one had. It is hypothesized that loss acceptance facilitates analogical transfer between the two tasks and improves performance. In addition, this is one of the few studies that attempted to analyze insight problems using a computational approach. This approach allows the identification of the underlying learning parameters for insight problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Harada
- Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
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2
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Bieth T, Ovando‐Tellez M, Lopez‐Persem A, Garcin B, Hugueville L, Lehongre K, Levy R, George N, Volle E. Time course of EEG power during creative problem-solving with insight or remote thinking. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26547. [PMID: 38060194 PMCID: PMC10789201 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Problem-solving often requires creativity and is critical in everyday life. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying creative problem-solving remain poorly understood. Two mechanisms have been highlighted: the formation of new connections among problem elements and insight solving, characterized by sudden realization of a solution. In this study, we investigated EEG activity during a modified version of the remote associates test, a classical insight problem task that requires finding a word connecting three unrelated words. This allowed us to explore the brain correlates associated with the semantic remoteness of connections (by varying the remoteness of the solution word across trials) and with insight solving (identified as a Eurêka moment reported by the participants). Semantic remoteness was associated with power increase in the alpha band (8-12 Hz) in a left parieto-temporal cluster, the beta band (13-30 Hz) in a right fronto-temporal cluster in the early phase of the task, and the theta band (3-7 Hz) in a bilateral frontal cluster just prior to participants' responses. Insight solving was associated with power increase preceding participants' responses in the alpha and gamma (31-60 Hz) bands in a left temporal cluster and the theta band in a frontal cluster. Source reconstructions revealed the brain regions associated with these clusters. Overall, our findings shed new light on some of the mechanisms involved in creative problem-solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théophile Bieth
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP‐HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, DMU NeuroscienceParisFrance
| | - Marcela Ovando‐Tellez
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Alizée Lopez‐Persem
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Béatrice Garcin
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Department of NeurologyAvicenne Hospital, AP‐HPBobignyFrance
| | - Laurent Hugueville
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Institut du Cerveau—ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Université, Centre MEG‐EEG, CENIRParisFrance
| | - Katia Lehongre
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
| | - Richard Levy
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, AP‐HP, Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, DMU NeuroscienceParisFrance
| | - Nathalie George
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
- Institut du Cerveau—ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Université, Centre MEG‐EEG, CENIRParisFrance
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau—Paris Brain Institute—ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hôpital de la Pitié SalpêtrièreParisFrance
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3
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Tulver K, Kaup KK, Laukkonen R, Aru J. Restructuring insight: An integrative review of insight in problem-solving, meditation, psychotherapy, delusions and psychedelics. Conscious Cogn 2023; 110:103494. [PMID: 36913839 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Occasionally, a solution or idea arrives as a sudden understanding - an insight. Insight has been considered an "extra" ingredient of creative thinking and problem-solving. Here we propose that insight is central in seemingly distinct areas of research. Drawing on literature from a variety of fields, we show that besides being commonly studied in problem-solving literature, insight is also a core component in psychotherapy and meditation, a key process underlying the emergence of delusions in schizophrenia, and a factor in the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. In each case, we discuss the event of insight and its prerequisites and consequences. We review evidence for the commonalities and differences between the fields and discuss their relevance for capturing the essence of the insight phenomenon. The goal of this integrative review is to bridge the gap between the different views and inspire interdisciplinary research efforts for understanding this central process of human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadi Tulver
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia.
| | | | | | - Jaan Aru
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, Estonia.
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4
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Arnsten AFT, Joyce MKP, Roberts AC. The Aversive Lens: Stress effects on the prefrontal-cingulate cortical pathways that regulate emotion. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:105000. [PMID: 36529312 PMCID: PMC9898199 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
ARNSTEN, A.F.T., M.K.P. Joyce and A.C. Roberts. The Aversive Lens: Stress effects on the prefrontal-cingulate cortical pathways that regulate emotion. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XXX-XXX, 2022. The symptoms of major-depressive-disorder include psychic pain and anhedonia, i.e. seeing the world through an "aversive lens". The neurobiology underlying this shift in worldview is emerging. Here these data are reviewed, focusing on how activation of subgenual cingulate (BA25) induces an "aversive lens", and how higher prefrontal cortical (PFC) areas (BA46/10/32) provide top-down regulation of BA25 but are weakened by excessive dopamine and norepinephrine release during stress exposure, and dendritic spine loss with chronic stress exposure. These changes may generate an attractor state, which maintains the brain under the control of BA25, requiring medication or neuromodulatory treatments to return connectivity to a more flexible state. In line with this hypothesis, effective anti-depressant treatments reduce the activity of BA25 and restore top-down regulation by higher circuits, e.g. as seen with SSRI medications, ketamine, deep brain stimulation of BA25, or rTMS to strengthen dorsolateral PFC. This research has special relevance in an era of chronic stress caused by the COVID19 pandemic, political unrest and threat of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Mary Kate P Joyce
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Angela C Roberts
- Department Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK.
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5
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Liu D, Hao L, Han L, Zhou Y, Qin S, Niki K, Shen W, Shi B, Luo J. The optimal balance of controlled and spontaneous processing in insight problem solving: fMRI evidence from Chinese idiom guessing. Psychophysiology 2023:e14240. [PMID: 36651323 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive control is a key factor in insight generation. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the generation of insight for different cognitive control remain poorly understood. This study developed a parametric fMRI design, wherein hints for solving Chinese idiom riddles were gradually provided in a stepwise manner (from the first hint, H1, to the final hint, H4). By classifying the step-specific items solved in different hint-uncovering steps/conditions, we could identify insightful responses for different levels of spontaneous or controlled processing. At the behavioral level, the number of insightful problem solving trials reached the maximum at a intermediate level of the cognitively controlled processing and the spontaneously idea generating in H3, while the bilateral insular cortex and thalamus showed the robust engagement, implying the function of these regions in making the optimal balance between external hint processing and internal generated ideas. In addition, we identified brain areas, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), angular gyrus (AG), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), and precuneus (PreC), whose activities were parametrically increased with the levels of controlled (from H1 to H4) insightful processing which were increasingly produced by the sequentially revealed hints. Further representational similarity analysis (RSA) found that spontaneous processing in insight featured greater within-condition representational variabilities in widely distributed regions in the executive, salience, and default networks. Altogether, the present study provided new evidence for the relationship between the process of cognitive control and that of spontaneous idea generation in insight problem solving and demystified the function of the insula and thalamus as an interactive interface for the optimal balance of these two processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition & School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Hao
- College of Teacher Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Faculty of Psychology at Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Han
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition & School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Shaozheng Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Faculty of Psychology at Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Kazuhisa Niki
- Human Informatics Research Institute, Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan.,Keio University Graduate School of Human Relations, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wangbing Shen
- School of Public Administration and Institute of Applied Psychology, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baoguo Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition & School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.,College of Teacher Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition & School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
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6
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Alescio-Lautier B, Chambon C, Deshayes C, Anton JL, Escoffier G, Ferrer MH, Paban V. Problem-solving training modifies cognitive functioning and related functional connectivity in healthy adults. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2023; 33:103-138. [PMID: 34657550 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2021.1987277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive functioning evolves throughout life. Regular practice of stimulating activities maintains or even strengthens cognitive skills. This study investigated the effects of a cognitive training programme based on complex closed-ended problem solving on innovative thinking. To this end, using partial least squares variance-based structural equation modeling, we first evaluated in 83 healthy adults how inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and reasoning were related to the distinct dimensions of innovative thinking. Second, we assessed how these interactions were modified after cognitive training based on problem solving in a subgroup of 16 subjects compared to leisure activity based on crossword solving in another subgroup of 15 subjects. Third, in a pilot fMRI study, we evaluated changes in brain connectivity at rest as a result of training in the problem solving group. Data on cognitive measures showed that innovative thinking was influenced by reasoning in control subjects, whereas it was influenced by cognitive flexibility following problem-solving training. These findings highlight that a cognitive intervention based on complex closed-ended problem solving promotes innovative thinking by changing the way subjects recruit and use relevant cognitive processes. Modifications in the resting-state connectivity of attention, default mode and visual networks were observed in the problem solving group.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline Chambon
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, NeuroMarseille InCiam, Marseille, France
| | - Claire Deshayes
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, NeuroMarseille InCiam, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Luc Anton
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centre IRM-INT@CERIMED, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289 CNRS & AMU, Faculté de Médecine de la Timone, Marseille
| | - Guy Escoffier
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, INP, UMR 7051, Faculté de pharmacie, campus Timone Marseille, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Ferrer
- Département Neurosciences et Contraintes Opérationnelles (NCO), Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA) 91223 Brétigny-sur-Orge, Cedex, France
| | - Véronique Paban
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LNC-UMR 7291, NeuroMarseille InCiam, Marseille, France
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7
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Wang RWY, Liu IN. Temporal and electroencephalography dynamics of surreal marketing. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:949008. [PMID: 36389218 PMCID: PMC9648353 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.949008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Event-related spectral perturbation analysis was employed in this study to explore whether surreal image designs containing metaphors could influence product marketing effects, including consumers' product curiosity, product comprehension, product preference, and purchase intention. A total of 30 healthy participants aged 21-30 years were recruited. Neurophysiological findings revealed that lower gamma, beta, and theta spectral powers were evoked in the right insula (Brodmann Area 13) by surreal marketing images. This was associated, behaviorally, with the manifestation of higher product curiosity and purchase intention. Based on previous research, the brain functions of this area include novelty, puzzle-solving, and cravings for reward caused by cognitive overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina W. Y. Wang
- Department of Design, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Design Perceptual Awareness Laboratory, Taiwan Building Technology Center, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - I-Ning Liu
- Department of Design, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Design Perceptual Awareness Laboratory, Taiwan Building Technology Center, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
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8
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Kuang C, Chen J, Chen J, Shi Y, Huang H, Jiao B, Lin Q, Rao Y, Liu W, Zhu Y, Mo L, Ma L, Lin J. Uncovering neural distinctions and commodities between two creativity subsets: A meta-analysis of fMRI studies in divergent thinking and insight using activation likelihood estimation. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:4864-4885. [PMID: 35906880 PMCID: PMC9582370 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The dual‐process theory that two different systems of thought coexist in creative thinking has attracted considerable attention. In the field of creative thinking, divergent thinking (DT) is the ability to produce multiple solutions to open‐ended problems in a short time. It is mainly considered an associative and fast process. Meanwhile, insight, the new and unexpected comprehension of close‐ended problems, is frequently marked as a deliberate and time‐consuming thinking process requiring concentrated effort. Previous research has been dedicated to revealing their separate neural mechanisms, while few studies have compared their differences and similarities at the brain level. Therefore, the current study applied Activation Likelihood Estimation to decipher common and distinctive neural pathways that potentially underlie DT and insight. We selected 27 DT studies and 30 insight studies for retrospective meta‐analyses. Initially, two single analyses with follow‐up contrast and conjunction analyses were performed. The single analyses showed that DT mainly involved the inferior parietal lobe (IPL), cuneus, and middle frontal gyrus (MFG), while the precentral gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), parahippocampal gyrus (PG), amygdala (AMG), and superior parietal lobe were engaged in insight. Compared to insight, DT mainly led to greater activation in the IPL, the crucial part of the default mode network. However, insight caused more significant activation in regions related to executive control functions and emotional responses, such as the IFG, MFG, PG, and AMG. Notably, the conjunction analysis detected no overlapped areas between DT and insight. These neural findings implicate that various neurocognitive circuits may support DT and insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyi Kuang
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiawen Chen
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yafei Shi
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiyuan Huang
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bingqing Jiao
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiwen Lin
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyang Rao
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenting Liu
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhu
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Mo
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijun Ma
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiabao Lin
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,UMR 5229, Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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9
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Ovando-Tellez M, Kenett YN, Benedek M, Bernard M, Belo J, Beranger B, Bieth T, Volle E. Brain connectivity-based prediction of real-life creativity is mediated by semantic memory structure. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl4294. [PMID: 35119928 PMCID: PMC8816337 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl4294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Associative theories of creativity argue that creative cognition involves the abilities to generate remote associations and make useful connections between unrelated concepts in one's semantic memory. Yet, whether and how real-life creative behavior relies on semantic memory structure and its neural substrates remains unclear. We acquired multi-echo functional magnetic resonance imaging data while participants underwent a semantic relatedness judgment task. These ratings were used to estimate their individual semantic memory networks, whose properties significantly predicted their real-life creativity. Using a connectome predictive modeling approach, we identified patterns of task-based functional connectivity that predicted creativity-related semantic memory network properties. Furthermore, these properties mediated the relationship between functional connectivity and real-life creativity. These results provide new insights into how brain connectivity patterns support real-life creative behavior via the structure of semantic memory. We also show how computational network science can be used to couple behavioral, cognitive, and neural levels of analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Ovando-Tellez
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Yoed N. Kenett
- Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | | | - Matthieu Bernard
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Joan Belo
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Benoit Beranger
- Sorbonne University, CENIR at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Theophile Bieth
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013 Paris, France
- Neurology Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013 Paris, France
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10
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Abstract
The insight experience (or ‘Aha moment’) generally evokes strong feelings of certainty and confidence. An ‘Aha’ experience for a false idea could underlie many false beliefs and delusions. However, for as long as insight experiences have been studied, false insights have remained difficult to elicit experimentally. That difficulty, in turn, highlights the fact that we know little about what causes people to experience a false insight. Across two experiments (total N = 300), we developed and tested a new paradigm to elicit false insights. In Experiment 1 we used a combination of semantic priming and visual similarity to elicit feelings of insight for incorrect solutions to anagrams. These false insights were relatively common but were experienced as weaker than correct ones. In Experiment 2 we replicated the findings of Experiment 1 and found that semantic priming and visual similarity interacted to produce false insights. These studies highlight the importance of misleading semantic processing and the feasibility of the solution in the generation of false insights.
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11
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Freiberg B, Cerf M. Single neuron evidence of inattentional blindness in humans. Neuropsychologia 2021; 165:108111. [PMID: 34902428 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recording directly from the brain of a patient undergoing neurosurgery with electrodes implanted deep in her skull, we identified neurons that change their properties when the patient became consciously aware of content. Specifically, we showed the patient an established clip of a gorilla passing through the screen, unnoticeable, in a classic inattentional blindness task, and identified a neuron in the right amygdala that fired only when the patient was aware of the gorilla. A different neuron coded the moment of insight, when the patient realized that she had missed the salient gorilla in previous trials. A third cluster of neurons fired when the patient was exposed to a post-clip question ("How many passes did you count?") and reflected on the content. Neurons in this cluster altered their response behavior between unaware and aware states. To investigate the interplay between the neurons' activity and characterize the potential cascade of information flow in the brain that leads to conscious awareness, we looked at the neurons' properties change, their activities' alignment and the correlation across the cells. Examining the coherence between the spiking activity of the responsive neurons and the field potentials in neighboring sites we identified an alignment in the alpha and theta bands. This spike-field coherence hints at an involvement of attention and memory circuits in the perceptual awareness of the stimulus. Taken together, our results suggest that conscious awareness of content emerges when there is alignment between individual neurons' activity and the local field potentials. Our work provides direct neural correlate for the psychological process by which one can look at things directly but fail to perceive them with the "mind's eye".
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Moran Cerf
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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12
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Zhu X, Oh Y, Chesebrough C, Zhang F, Kounios J. Pre-stimulus brain oscillations predict insight versus analytic problem-solving in an anagram task. Neuropsychologia 2021; 162:108044. [PMID: 34610344 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
There are two general strategies for solving a problem. Insight is the sudden realization of a novel idea or problem solution accompanied by an "aha" experience. Analysis occurs in a conscious, deliberate fashion without an "aha" experience. Previous research has shown that brain activity during a preparatory period immediately before a problem is presented can predict whether the subsequently presented problem will be solved by insight or by analysis. Those prior studies used a type of brief verbal problem called compound remote associates (CRA). To determine whether prestimulus activity predicts subsequent insight versus analytic solving for other types of problems, the present study used an anagram task. We examined high-density electroencephalograms (EEGs) immediately preceding the presentation of anagrams and found that during the 2-s prestimulus interval there was greater beta-band activity recorded over right central-parietal cortex prior to analytic solving compared with insightful solving. EEG source reconstruction showed that this activity originated in left mid-cingulate cortex (MCC) and the right postcentral gyrus. In contrast to prior work, we found no evidence of a significant interaction between insight-related prestimulus brain activity and positive mood, although positive mood was associated with greater activity in anterior cingulate cortex and with a larger number of insight solutions. The present MCC results suggest that participants' anagram-solving strategies may be influenced by allostasis, that is, the estimation and marshalling of neurocognitive resources required to cope with an expected task. Specifically, when a participant adequately prepares for an upcoming problem, then MCC activity is high, enabling solution by resource-intensive analytic processing. Alternatively, when preparation is insufficient for analytic processing, then MCC activity is low and subsequent solving occurs by low-demand insight processing. The current findings and explanatory model differ from those of previous studies that used a CRA task, suggesting the possibility of complex interactions between task-type and procedure-type in determining the nature of prestimulus preparation. Future research examining such interactions may yield results that benefit educators who teach students problem-solving strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Zhu
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yongtaek Oh
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Christine Chesebrough
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Fengqing Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - John Kounios
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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13
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Kizilirmak JM, Gallisch N, Schott BH, Folta-Schoofs K. Insight is not always the same: differences between true, false, and induced insights in the matchstick arithmetic task. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2021.1912049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin M. Kizilirmak
- Neurodidactics and NeuroLab, Institute for Psychology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nora Gallisch
- Neurodidactics and NeuroLab, Institute for Psychology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Björn H. Schott
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Kristian Folta-Schoofs
- Neurodidactics and NeuroLab, Institute for Psychology, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
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14
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Du X, Cui C, Hu Z, Zhang K, Song Y. The mnemonic effects of insight on false memory in the DRM paradigm. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2021; 86:558-570. [PMID: 33844066 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-021-01513-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Insight accompanied by an 'aha!' experience has a mnemonic effect. Previous studies of insight have often focused on the mnemonic effect of insight on veridical memories, while the effect of insight on false memories is not known. More understanding of the mnemonic effect of insight on false memories could have implications for the mechanism of insightful mnemonic effects. The present research examined whether insight has a mnemonic effect on false memories. Participants were asked to perform Chinese verbal compound remote associate (CRA) tasks and then complete the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) task, the critical lure of which was also the solution to the Chinese CRA problem. Compared to non-insight, insight was associated with a lower critical lures rate in Experiment 1 and with lower critical lures and unrelated words rates in Experiment 2 when the presentation of DRM list words was random. Giving a warning before DRM tasks could reduce the critical lures rate of non-insight but had little effect on insightful solutions in Experiment 3. These findings indicate that insight can reduce false memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiumin Du
- College of Education, Hebei University, No. 180 of Wusi East Road, Baoding, China
| | - Can Cui
- College of Education, Hebei University, No. 180 of Wusi East Road, Baoding, China
| | - Zhaohui Hu
- College of Education, Hebei University, No. 180 of Wusi East Road, Baoding, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- College of Education, Hebei University, No. 180 of Wusi East Road, Baoding, China.
| | - Yaowu Song
- College of Education, Hebei University, No. 180 of Wusi East Road, Baoding, China.
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15
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Laukkonen RE, Ingledew DJ, Grimmer HJ, Schooler JW, Tangen JM. Getting a grip on insight: real-time and embodied Aha experiences predict correct solutions. Cogn Emot 2021; 35:918-935. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.1908230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruben E. Laukkonen
- Cognitive Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Hilary J. Grimmer
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | | | - Jason M. Tangen
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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16
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Salvi C, Leiker EK, Baricca B, Molinari MA, Eleopra R, Nichelli PF, Grafman J, Dunsmoor JE. The Effect of Dopaminergic Replacement Therapy on Creative Thinking and Insight Problem-Solving in Parkinson's Disease Patients. Front Psychol 2021; 12:646448. [PMID: 33763005 PMCID: PMC7984162 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) patients receiving dopaminergic treatment may experience bursts of creativity. Although this phenomenon is sometimes recognized among patients and their clinicians, the association between dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) in PD patients and creativity remains underexplored. It is unclear, for instance, whether DRT affects creativity through convergent or divergent thinking, idea generation, or a general lack of inhibition. It is also unclear whether DRT only augments pre-existing creative attributes or generates creativity de novo. Here, we tested a group of PD patients when “on” and “off” dopaminergic treatment on a series of tests of creative problem-solving (Alternative Uses Task, Compound Remote Associates, Rebus Puzzles), and related their performance to a group of matched healthy controls as well as to their pre-PD creative skills and measures of inhibition/impulsivity. Results did not provide strong evidence that DRT improved creative thinking in PD patients. Rather, PD patients “on” medication showed less flexibility in divergent thinking, generated fewer ideas via insight, and showed worse performance in convergent thinking overall (by making more errors) than healthy controls. Pre-PD creative skills predicted enhanced flexibility and fluency in divergent thinking when PD patients were “on” medication. However, results on convergent thinking were mixed. Finally, PD patients who exhibited deficits in a measure of inhibitory control showed weaker convergent thinking while “on” medication, supporting previous evidence on the importance of inhibitory control in creative problem-solving. Altogether, results do not support the hypothesis that DRT promotes creative thinking in PD. We speculate that bursts of artistic production in PD are perhaps conflated with creativity due to lay conceptions of creativity (i.e., an art-bias).
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Emily K Leiker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Beatrix Baricca
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena University Hospital, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Maria A Molinari
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena University Hospital, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Eleopra
- Movement Disorders Unit at the IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Institute of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo F Nichelli
- Neurology Clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena University Hospital, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurology, Cognitive Neurology, Alzheimer's Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joseph E Dunsmoor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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17
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Zhang Z, Lei Y, Xing Q, Li H. Left-hemispheric predominance on appropriateness evaluation of restructuring during chunk decomposition problem solving. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13778. [PMID: 33543773 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Restructuring refers to achieving satisfactory solutions by breaking obstacles or forming novel associations in problem-solving. One critical question arises regarding how an appropriate solution is processed in our brain during the restructuring of problem representations. This study aims to explore the electrophysiological correlates of appropriateness evaluation of restructuring by employing a chunk decomposition task. During loose or tight chunk decomposition, participants needed to assess whether they could get a valid solution after probe removal from a source character chunk. As reflected by the late positive complex, the processing of appropriateness exhibited the greatest effect (appropriate vs. inappropriate) in left parietal regions for tight chunk decomposition, but exhibited insignificant differences across most brain regions for loose chunk decomposition. This study provides the first primary electrophysiological evidence that both hemispheres contribute to and the left hemisphere plays a predominant role in evaluating the appropriateness of restructuring in problem solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglu Zhang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Lei
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiang Xing
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong Li
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.,Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
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18
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Ammalainen A, Moroshkina N. The effect of true and false unreportable hints on anagram problem solving, restructuring, and the Aha!-experience. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1844722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Artur Ammalainen
- Institute for Cognitive Studies, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Nadezhda Moroshkina
- Institute for Cognitive Studies, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
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19
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Sinitsyn DO, Bakulin IS, Poydasheva AG, Legostaeva LA, Kremneva EI, Lagoda DY, Chernyavskiy AY, Medyntsev AA, Suponeva NA, Piradov MA. Brain Activations and Functional Connectivity Patterns Associated with Insight-Based and Analytical Anagram Solving. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 10:E170. [PMID: 33171616 PMCID: PMC7695184 DOI: 10.3390/bs10110170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insight is one of the most mysterious problem-solving phenomena involving the sudden emergence of a solution, often preceded by long unproductive attempts to find it. This seemingly unexplainable generation of the answer, together with the role attributed to insight in the advancement of science, technology and culture, stimulate active research interest in discovering its neuronal underpinnings. The present study employs functional Magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to probe and compare the brain activations occurring in the course of solving anagrams by insight or analytically, as judged by the subjects. A number of regions were activated in both strategies, including the left premotor cortex, left claustrum, and bilateral clusters in the precuneus and middle temporal gyrus. The activated areas span the majority of the clusters reported in a recent meta-analysis of insight-related fMRI studies. At the same time, the activation patterns were very similar between the insight and analytical solutions, with the only difference in the right sensorimotor region probably explainable by subject motion related to the study design. Additionally, we applied resting-state fMRI to study functional connectivity patterns correlated with the individual frequency of insight anagram solutions. Significant correlations were found for the seed-based connectivity of areas in the left premotor cortex, left claustrum, and left frontal eye field. The results stress the need for optimizing insight paradigms with respect to the accuracy and reliability of the subjective insight/analytical solution classification. Furthermore, the short-lived nature of the insight phenomenon makes it difficult to capture the associated neural events with the current experimental techniques and motivates complementing such studies by the investigation of the structural and functional brain features related to the individual differences in the frequency of insight-based decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry O. Sinitsyn
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Ilya S. Bakulin
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Alexandra G. Poydasheva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Liudmila A. Legostaeva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Elena I. Kremneva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Dmitry Yu. Lagoda
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Andrey Yu. Chernyavskiy
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
- Valiev Institute of Physics and Technology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117218 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexey A. Medyntsev
- Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 129366 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Natalia A. Suponeva
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
| | - Michael A. Piradov
- Research Center of Neurology, 125367 Moscow, Russia; (D.O.S.); (I.S.B.); (L.A.L.); (E.I.K.); (D.Y.L.); (A.Y.C.); (N.A.S.); (M.A.P.)
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20
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The indispensable role of the cerebellum in visual divergent thinking. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16552. [PMID: 33024190 PMCID: PMC7538600 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73679-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research has shown that the cerebellum is involved not only in motor control but also in higher-level activities, which are closely related to creativity. This study aimed to explore the role of the cerebellum in visual divergent thinking based on its intrinsic activity. To this end, we selected the resting-state fMRI data of high- (n = 22) and low-level creativity groups (n = 22), and adopted the voxel-wise, seed-wise, and dynamic functional connectivity to identify the differences between the two groups. Furthermore, the topological properties of the cerebello-cerebral network and their relations with visual divergent thinking were calculated. The voxel-wise functional connectivity results indicated group differences across the cerebellar (e.g. lobules VI, VIIb, Crus I, and Crus II) and cerebral regions (e.g. superior frontal cortex, middle frontal cortex, and inferior parietal gyrus), as well as the cerebellar lobules (e.g. lobules VIIIa, IX, and X) and the cerebral brain regions (the cuneus and precentral gyrus). We found a significant correlation between visual divergent thinking and activities of the left lobules VI, VIIb, Crus I, and Crus II, which are associated with executive functions. Our overall results provide novel insight into the important role of the cerebellum in visual divergent thinking.
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21
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Perchtold-Stefan CM, Papousek I, Rominger C, Schertler M, Weiss EM, Fink A. Humor comprehension and creative cognition: Shared and distinct neurocognitive mechanisms as indicated by EEG alpha activity. Neuroimage 2020; 213:116695. [PMID: 32142882 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Humor comprehension is increasingly recognized as showing parallels to more conventional creative cognition; yet our understanding of brain mechanisms underlying creative cognition in a humorous context is still limited. The present study addressed this issue by investigating functional patterns of EEG alpha activity while 93 participants viewed nonverbal humorous cartoons until they indicated having recognized the punch line, and subsequently vocalized their idea as to what constituted it. In a similar fashion, EEG was also assessed during performance of the Alternate Uses Task (AUT), in order to identify similarities and differences in EEG alpha activity implicated in conventional creative cognition vs. humor comprehension. Analyses revealed a pattern of robust task-related alpha power increases in both tasks, which were markedly more right-lateralized at ventral fronto-temporal sites in the humor task as compared to the AUT. Findings are interpreted in line with recent literature on the functional role of alpha activity in the creativity domain. Altogether, this study adds further evidence to the particular role of EEG alpha oscillations in creative cognition and supports the idea that conventional creative ideation and the comprehension of humor share neural mechanisms affiliated to creative cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ilona Papousek
- Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Andreas Fink
- Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
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22
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Oh Y, Chesebrough C, Erickson B, Zhang F, Kounios J. An insight-related neural reward signal. Neuroimage 2020; 214:116757. [PMID: 32194279 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Moments of insight, a phenomenon of creative cognition in which an idea suddenly emerges into awareness as an "Aha!" are often reported to be affectively positive experiences. We tested the hypothesis that problem-solving by insight is accompanied by neural reward processing. We recorded high-density EEGs while participants solved a series of anagrams. For each solution, they reported whether the answer had occurred to them as a sudden insight or whether they had derived it deliberately and incrementally (i.e., "analytically'). Afterwards, they filled out a questionnaire that measures general dispositional reward sensitivity. We computed the time-frequency representations of the EEGs for trials with insight (I) solutions and trials with analytic (A) solutions and subtracted them to obtain an I-A time-frequency representation for each electrode. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) analyses tested for significant I-A and reward-sensitivity effects. SPM revealed the time, frequency, and scalp locations of several I > A effects. No A > I effect was observed. The primary neural correlate of insight was a burst of (I > A) gamma-band oscillatory activity over prefrontal cortex approximately 500 ms before participants pressed a button to indicate that they had solved the problem. We correlated the I-A time-frequency representation with reward sensitivity to discover insight-related effects that were modulated by reward sensitivity. This revealed a separate anterior prefrontal burst of gamma-band activity, approximately 100 ms after the primary I-A insight effect, which we interpreted to be an insight-related reward signal. This interpretation was supported by source reconstruction showing that this signal was generated in part by orbitofrontal cortex, a region associated with reward learning and hedonically pleasurable experiences such as food, positive social experiences, addictive drugs, and orgasm. These findings support the notion that for many people insight is rewarding. Additionally, these results may explain why many people choose to engage in insight-generating recreational and vocational activities such as solving puzzles, reading murder mysteries, creating inventions, or doing research. This insight-related reward signal may be a manifestation of an evolutionarily adaptive mechanism for the reinforcement of exploration, problem solving, and creative cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongtaek Oh
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | | | - Brian Erickson
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fengqing Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John Kounios
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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23
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Zhang Z, Guo T, Fan J, Wu X, Tan T, Luo J. Dissociable Posterior and Anterior Insula Activations in Processing Negative Stimulus Before and After the Application of Cognitive Reappraisals. Front Psychol 2020; 11:268. [PMID: 32194473 PMCID: PMC7063030 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the role of the insular cortex in representing bodily and emotional feelings has been recognized, whether the mid-posterior and anterior parts of the insula act differentially in the encoding and regulation of emotional feelings is still unclear. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we examined the effects of the creative cognitive reappraisals versus the non-creative ordinary reappraisals on the activation pattern of the mid-posterior and anterior insular cortex during the processing of unpleasant pictures by comparing the neural correlates for processing these pictures before and after the application of cognitive reappraisals. We found significant anterior insular activation after the application of cognitive reappraisals, especially the creative ones, in contrast to the significant mid-posterior insular activation before the application of the cognitive reappraisals or after the application of the non-creative ordinary reappraisals. This finding supports the posterior-to-anterior progression hypothesis with the mid-posterior insular cortex being used for the encoding of primary emotional feelings and the anterior insular cortex being used for the encoding of regulated or modulated emotional feelings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Guo
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Fan
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Xiaofei Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tengteng Tan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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24
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Jia X, Li W, Cao L. The Role of Metacognitive Components in Creative Thinking. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2404. [PMID: 31708842 PMCID: PMC6821789 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Metacognition refers to the knowledge and regulation of one’s own cognitive processes, which has been regarded as a critical component of creative thinking. However, the current literature on the association between metacognition and creative thinking remains controversial, and the underlying role of metacognition in the creative process appears to be insufficiently explored and explained. This review focuses on the roles of three aspects of metacognition (i.e., metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive experience, and metacognitive monitoring and control) in creative thinking and offers a primary summary of the neurocognitive mechanisms that support metacognition during creative thinking. Future research is needed to explore the interactive effects of the metacognitive components on creative thinking and to elucidate the function of metacognition during different stages of the creative process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Jia
- Center for Studies of Education and Psychology of Ethnic Minorities in Southwest China, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Weijian Li
- Institute of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Liren Cao
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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25
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Becker M, Sommer T, Kühn S. Inferior frontal gyrus involvement during search and solution in verbal creative problem solving: A parametric fMRI study. Neuroimage 2019; 206:116294. [PMID: 31639509 PMCID: PMC7355229 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In verbal creative problems like compound remote associates (CRAs), the solution is semantically distant and there is no predefined path to the solution. Therefore, people first search through the space of possible solutions before retrieving the correct semantic content by extending their search space. We assume that search and solution are both part of a semantic control process which involves the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Furthermore, we expect the degree of relevant semantic control areas like the IFG to depend on how much the search space needs to be extended, i.e. how semantically distant the solution is. To demonstrate this, we created a modified CRA paradigm which systematically modulates the semantic distance from the first target word to the solution via priming. We show that brain areas (left IFG and middle temporal gyrus) associated with semantic control are already recruited during search. In addition, BOLD response in the left angular gyrus linearly correlates with search space extension. Hence, there is evidence that this process already takes place during search. Furthermore, bilateral IFG (pars orbitalis and triangularis) also correlates with search space extension but during solution. We discuss the role of the IFG in accessing semantically distant information during verbal creative problem solving. We present a novel way how to quantify verbal restructuring in a parametric fMRI paradigm. Evidence is provided that search for a solution and verbal restructuring are both part of a cognitive control process. Inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the angular gyrus are identified as part of this cognitive control process. BOLD activation of bilateral IFG parametrically correlates with verbal restructuring during and before solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxi Becker
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Tobias Sommer
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Systems Neuroscience, NeuroImage Nord, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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26
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Becker M, Sommer T, Kühn S. Verbal insight revisited: fMRI evidence for early processing in bilateral insulae for solutions with AHA! experience shortly after trial onset. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 41:30-45. [PMID: 31520521 PMCID: PMC7267914 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In insight problem solving solutions with AHA! experience have been assumed to be the consequence of restructuring of a problem which usually takes place shortly before the solution. However, evidence from priming studies suggests that solutions with AHA! are not spontaneously generated during the solution process but already relate to prior subliminal processing. We test this hypothesis by conducting an fMRI study using a modified compound remote associates paradigm which incorporates semantic priming. We observe stronger brain activity in bilateral anterior insulae already shortly after trial onset in problems that were later solved with than without AHA!. This early activity was independent of semantic priming but may be related to other lexical properties of attended words helping to reduce the amount of solutions to look for. In contrast, there was more brain activity in bilateral anterior insulae during solutions that were solved without than with AHA!. This timing (after trial start/during solution) x solution experience (with/without AHA!) interaction was significant. The results suggest that (a) solutions accompanied with AHA! relate to early solution‐relevant processing and (b) both solution experiences differ in timing when solution‐relevant processing takes place. In this context, we discuss the potential role of the anterior insula as part of the salience network involved in problem solving by allocating attentional resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxi Becker
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, NeuroImage Nord, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
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27
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Bartolomei F, Lagarde S, Scavarda D, Carron R, Bénar C, Picard F. The role of the dorsal anterior insula in ecstatic sensation revealed by direct electrical brain stimulation. Brain Stimul 2019; 12:1121-1126. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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28
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Chen Q, Beaty RE, Cui Z, Sun J, He H, Zhuang K, Ren Z, Liu G, Qiu J. Brain hemispheric involvement in visuospatial and verbal divergent thinking. Neuroimage 2019; 202:116065. [PMID: 31398434 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemispheric lateralization for creative thinking remains a controversial topic. Early behavioral and neuroimaging research supported right hemisphere dominance in creative thinking, but more recent evidence suggests the left hemisphere plays an equally important role. In addition, the extent to which hemispheric lateralization in specific brain regions relates to individual creative ability, and whether hemispheric dominance relates to distinct task performance, remain poorly understood. Here, using multivariate predictive modeling of resting-state functional MRI data in a large sample of adults (N = 502), we estimated hemispheric segregation and integration for each brain region and investigated these lateralization indices with respect to individual differences in visuospatial and verbal divergent thinking. Our analyses revealed that individual visuospatial divergent thinking performance could be predicted by right-hemispheric segregation within the visual network, sensorimotor network, and some regions within the default mode network. High visuospatial divergent thinking was related to stronger functional connectivity between the visual network, fronto-parietal network, and default mode network within the right hemisphere. In contrast, high verbal divergent thinking performance could be predicted by inter-hemispheric balance within regions mainly involved in complex semantic processing (e.g., lateral temporal cortex and inferior frontal gyrus) and cognitive control processing (e.g., inferior frontal gyrus, middle frontal cortex, and superior parietal lobule). The current study suggests that two distinct forms of functional lateralization support individual differences in visuospatial and verbal divergent thinking. These findings have important implications for our understanding of hemispheric interaction mechanisms of creative thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qunlin Chen
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China; School of Mathematics and Statistics, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16801, USA
| | - Zaixu Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jiangzhou Sun
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hong He
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Kaixiang Zhuang
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Zhiting Ren
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Guangyuan Liu
- College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Jiang Qiu
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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29
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Danek AH, Flanagin VL. Cognitive conflict and restructuring: The neural basis of two core components of insight. AIMS Neurosci 2019; 6:60-84. [PMID: 32341969 PMCID: PMC7179339 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2019.2.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sometimes, the solution to a difficult problem simply pops into mind. Such a moment of sudden comprehension is known as "insight". This fundamental cognitive process is crucial for problem solving, creativity and innovation, yet its true nature remains elusive, despite one century of psychological research. Typically, insight is investigated by using spatial puzzles or verbal riddles. Broadening the traditional approach, we propose to tackle this question by presenting magic tricks to participants and asking them to find out the secret method used by the magician. Combining this approach with cueing in an fMRI experiment, we were able to break down the insight process into two underlying components: cognitive conflict and restructuring. During cognitive conflict, problem solvers identify incongruent information that does not match their current mental representation. In a second step this information is restructured, thereby allowing them to correctly determine how the magic trick was done. We manipulated the occurrence of cognitive conflict by presenting two types of cues that lead participants to either maintain their perceptual belief (congruent cue) or to change their perceptual belief (incongruent cue) for the mechanism behind the magic trick. We found that partially overlapping but distinct networks of brain activity were recruited for cognitive conflict and restructuring. Posterior, predominantly visual brain activity during cognitive conflict reflected processes related to prediction error, attention to the relevant cue-specific sensory domain, and the default brain state. Restructuring on the other hand, showed a highly distributed pattern of brain activity in regions of the default mode, executive control networks, and salience networks. The angular gyrus and middle temporal gyrus were active in both cognitive conflict and restructuring, suggesting that these regions are important throughout the insight problem solving process. We believe this type of approach towards understanding insight will give lead to a better understanding of this complex process and the specific role that different brain regions play in creative thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amory H. Danek
- Experimental and Theoretical Psychology, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Virginia L. Flanagin
- German Center for Vertigo and Dizziness (DSGZ), Klinikum der Universität München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
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30
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Santarnecchi E, Sprugnoli G, Bricolo E, Costantini G, Liew SL, Musaeus CS, Salvi C, Pascual-Leone A, Rossi A, Rossi S. Gamma tACS over the temporal lobe increases the occurrence of Eureka! moments. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5778. [PMID: 30962465 PMCID: PMC6453961 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42192-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The solution to a problem might manifest itself as a burst of unexpected, unpredictable clarity. Such Eureka! events, or Insight moments, are among the most fascinating mysteries of human cognition, whose neurophysiological substrate seems to include a role for oscillatory activity within the α and γ bands in the right parietal and temporal brain regions. We tested this hypothesis on thirty-one healthy participants using transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) to externally amplify α (10 Hz) and γ (40 Hz) activity in the right parietal and temporal lobes, respectively. During γ-tACS over the right temporal lobe, we observed an increase in accuracy on a verbal insight task. Furthermore, electroencephalography (EEG) data revealed an increase in γ spectral power over bilateral temporal lobes after stimulation. Additionally, resting-state functional MRI data acquired before the stimulation session suggested a correlation between behavioral response to right temporal lobe tACS and functional connectivity of bilateral temporal lobes, in line with the bilateral increase in γ band revealed by EEG. Overall, results suggest the possibility of enhancing the probability of generating Eureka! moments in humans by means of frequency-specific noninvasive brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
| | - Giulia Sprugnoli
- Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Emanuela Bricolo
- Psychology Department, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Sook-Lei Liew
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christian S Musaeus
- Department of Neurology, Danish Dementia Research Centre (DDRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carola Salvi
- Northwestern University, Psychology department, Evanston, IL, USA.,Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Human Physiology Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Simone Rossi
- Brain Investigation & Neuromodulation Laboratory (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Human Physiology Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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31
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Identification and transformation difficulty in problem solving: Electrophysiological evidence from chunk decomposition. Biol Psychol 2019; 143:10-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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32
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Once more with feeling: Normative data for the aha experience in insight and noninsight problems. Behav Res Methods 2019; 50:2035-2056. [PMID: 29052169 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-017-0972-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Despite the presumed ability of insight problems to elicit the subjective feeling of insight, as well as the use of so-called insight problems to investigate this phenomenon for over 100 years, no research has collected normative data regarding the ability of insight problems to actually elicit the feeling of insight in a given individual. The work described in this article provides an overview of both classic and contemporary problems used to examine the construct of insight and presents normative data on the success rate, mean time to solution, and mean rating of aha experience for each problem and task type. We suggest using these data in future work as a reference for selecting problems on the basis of their ability to elicit an aha experience.
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33
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Briggs RG, Pryor DP, Conner AK, Nix CE, Milton CK, Kuiper JK, Palejwala AH, Sughrue ME. The Artery of Aphasia, A Uniquely Sensitive Posterior Temporal Middle Cerebral Artery Branch that Supplies Language Areas in the Brain: Anatomy and Report of Four Cases. World Neurosurg 2019; 126:e65-e76. [PMID: 30735868 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.01.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arterial disruption during brain surgery can cause devastating injuries to wide expanses of white and gray matter beyond the tumor resection cavity. Such damage may occur as a result of disrupting blood flow through en passage arteries. Identification of these arteries is critical to prevent unforeseen neurologic sequelae during brain tumor resection. In this study, we discuss one such artery, termed the artery of aphasia (AoA), which when disrupted can lead to receptive and expressive language deficits. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of all patients undergoing an awake craniotomy for resection of a glioma by the senior author from 2012 to 2018. Patients were included if they experienced language deficits secondary to postoperative infarction in the left posterior temporal lobe in the distribution of the AoA. The gross anatomy of the AoA was then compared with activation likelihood estimations of the auditory and semantic language networks using coordinate-based meta-analytic techniques. RESULTS We identified 4 patients with left-sided posterior temporal artery infarctions in the distribution of the AoA on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. All 4 patients developed substantial expressive and receptive language deficits after surgery. Functional language improvement occurred in only 2/4 patients. Activation likelihood estimations localized parts of the auditory and semantic language networks in the distribution of the AoA. CONCLUSIONS The AoA is prone to blood flow disruption despite benign manipulation. Patients seem to have limited capacity for speech recovery after intraoperative ischemia in the distribution of this artery, which supplies parts of the auditory and semantic language networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert G Briggs
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Dillon P Pryor
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Andrew K Conner
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Cameron E Nix
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Camille K Milton
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Joseph K Kuiper
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Ali H Palejwala
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Michael E Sughrue
- Department of Neurosurgery, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
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34
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Li W, Li G, Ji B, Zhang Q, Qiu J. Neuroanatomical Correlates of Creativity: Evidence From Voxel-Based Morphometry. Front Psychol 2019; 10:155. [PMID: 30778319 PMCID: PMC6369357 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Creativity was a special cognitive capacity which was crucial to human survival and prosperity. Remote associates test (RAT), identifying the relationships among remote ideas, was one of the most frequently used methods of measuring creativity. However, the structural characteristics associated with RAT remains unclear. In the present study, the relationship between gray matter density (GMD)/white matter density (WMD) and RAT was explored using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in a larger healthy college student sample (144 women and 117 men). Results showed that the score of RAT was significantly positively related with the GMD in the right anterior superior temporal gyrus (aSTG) and negatively correlated with the GMD in the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Meanwhile, results also showed that the score of RAT was significantly positively related with the WMD in the right dACC and negatively correlated with the WMD in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). These findings indicate that individual creativity, as measured by the RAT, was mainly related to the regional gray /white matter density of brain regions in the aSTG, dACC and IFG, which might have been involved in the forming of novel combinations, breaking of mental set, monitoring of conflict and semantic integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfu Li
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Gongying Li
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Bingyuan Ji
- School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Qinglin Zhang
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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35
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Webb ME, Cropper SJ, Little DR. “Aha!” is stronger when preceded by a “huh?”: presentation of a solution affects ratings of aha experience conditional on accuracy. THINKING & REASONING 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2018.1523807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E. Webb
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Simon J. Cropper
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Daniel R. Little
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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36
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Tracking the neurodynamics of insight: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Biol Psychol 2018; 138:189-198. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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37
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Ardila A, Bernal B, Rosselli M. Executive Functions Brain System: An Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-analytic Study. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2018; 33:379-405. [PMID: 28961762 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acx066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objective To characterize commonalities and differences between two executive functions: reasoning and inhibitory control. Methods A total of 5,974 participants in 346 fMRI experiments of inhibition or reasoning were selected. First level analysis consisted of Analysis of Likelihood Estimation (ALE) studies performed in two pooled data groups: (a) brain areas involved in reasoning and (b) brain areas involved in inhibition. Second level analysis consisted of two contrasts: (i) brain areas involved in reasoning but not in inhibition and (ii) brain areas involved in inhibition but not in reasoning. Lateralization Indexes were calculated. Results Four brain areas appear as the most critical: the dorsolateral aspect of the frontal lobes, the superior parietal lobules, the mesial aspect of the premotor area (supplementary motor area), and some subcortical areas, particularly the putamen and the thalamus. ALE contrasts showed significant differentiation of the networks, with the reasoning > inhibition-contrast showing a predominantly leftward participation, and the inhibition > reasoning-contrast, a clear right advantage. Conclusion Executive functions are mediated by sizable brain areas including not only cortical, but also involving subcortical areas in both hemispheres. The strength of activation shows dissociation between the hemispheres for inhibition (rightward) and reasoning (leftward) functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Ardila
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Byron Bernal
- Department of Radiology/Brain Institute, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Monica Rosselli
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL, USA
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38
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Gao Z, Zhang D, Liang A, Liang B, Wang Z, Cai Y, Li J, Gao M, Liu X, Chang S, Jiao B, Huang R, Liu M. Exploring the Associations Between Intrinsic Brain Connectivity and Creative Ability Using Functional Connectivity Strength and Connectome Analysis. Brain Connect 2018; 7:590-601. [PMID: 28950708 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2017.0510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to explore the association between resting-state functional connectivity and creativity ability. Toward this end, the figural Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) scores were collected from 180 participants. Based on the figural TTCT measures, we collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data for participants with two different levels of creativity ability (a high-creativity group [HG, n = 22] and a low-creativity group [LG, n = 20]). For the aspect of group difference, this study combined voxel-wise functional connectivity strength (FCS) and seed-based functional connectivity to identify brain regions with group-change functional connectivity. Furthermore, the connectome properties of the identified regions and their associations with creativity were investigated using the permutation test, discriminative analysis, and brain-behavior correlation analysis. The results indicated that there were 4 regions with group differences in FCS, and these regions were linked to 30 other regions, demonstrating different functional connectivity between the groups. Together, these regions form a creativity-related network, and we observed higher network efficiency in the HG compared with the LG. The regions involved in the creativity network were widely distributed across the modality-specific/supramodality cerebral cortex, subcortex, and cerebellum. Notably, properties of regions in the supramodality networks (i.e., the default mode network and attention network) carried creativity-level discriminative information and were significantly correlated with the creativity performance. Together, these findings demonstrate a link between intrinsic brain connectivity and creative ability, which should provide new insights into the neural basis of creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenni Gao
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Delong Zhang
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Bishan Liang
- 3 College of Education, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Zengjian Wang
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuxuan Cai
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Junchao Li
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengxia Gao
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojin Liu
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Song Chang
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Bingqing Jiao
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Liu
- 1 Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University , Guangzhou, China
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39
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Bartley JE, Boeving ER, Riedel MC, Bottenhorn KL, Salo T, Eickhoff SB, Brewe E, Sutherland MT, Laird AR. Meta-analytic evidence for a core problem solving network across multiple representational domains. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 92:318-337. [PMID: 29944961 PMCID: PMC6425494 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Problem solving is a complex skill engaging multi-stepped reasoning processes to find unknown solutions. The breadth of real-world contexts requiring problem solving is mirrored by a similarly broad, yet unfocused neuroimaging literature, and the domain-general or context-specific brain networks associated with problem solving are not well understood. To more fully characterize those brain networks, we performed activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis on 280 neuroimaging problem solving experiments reporting 3166 foci from 1919 individuals across 131 papers. The general map of problem solving revealed broad fronto-cingulo-parietal convergence, regions similarly identified when considering separate mathematical, verbal, and visuospatial problem solving domain-specific analyses. Conjunction analysis revealed a common network supporting problem solving across diverse contexts, and difference maps distinguished functionally-selective sub-networks specific to task type. Our results suggest cooperation between representationally specialized sub-network and whole-brain systems provide a neural basis for problem solving, with the core network contributing general purpose resources to perform cognitive operations and manage problem demand. Further characterization of cross-network dynamics could inform neuroeducational studies on problem solving skill development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E Bartley
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Emily R Boeving
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Michael C Riedel
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Taylor Salo
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Eric Brewe
- Department of Teaching and Learning, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Education, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Angela R Laird
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
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40
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Maggi S, Peyrache A, Humphries MD. An ensemble code in medial prefrontal cortex links prior events to outcomes during learning. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2204. [PMID: 29880806 PMCID: PMC5992197 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04638-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex is implicated in learning the rules of an environment through trial and error. But it is unclear how such learning is related to the prefrontal cortex’s role in short-term memory. Here we ask if the encoding of short-term memory in prefrontal cortex is used by rats learning decision rules in a Y-maze task. We find that a similar pattern of neural ensemble activity is selectively recalled after reinforcement for a correct decision. This reinforcement-selective recall only reliably occurs immediately before the abrupt behavioural transitions indicating successful learning of the current rule, and fades quickly thereafter. We could simultaneously decode multiple, retrospective task events from the ensemble activity, suggesting the recalled ensemble activity has multiplexed encoding of prior events. Our results suggest that successful trial-and-error learning is dependent on reinforcement tagging the relevant features of the environment to maintain in prefrontal cortex short-term memory. Prefrontal cortex is involved in flexibly learning the correct behavioural strategies but the neural correlates of this process are not well understood. Here the authors show that reinforcement for a correct decision at behavioural transitions evokes ensemble firing patterns related to prior events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Maggi
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.,Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Adrien Peyrache
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Mark D Humphries
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK. .,Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
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41
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Saggar M, Quintin EM, Bott NT, Kienitz E, Chien YH, Hong DWC, Liu N, Royalty A, Hawthorne G, Reiss AL. Changes in Brain Activation Associated with Spontaneous Improvization and Figural Creativity After Design-Thinking-Based Training: A Longitudinal fMRI Study. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3542-3552. [PMID: 27307467 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Creativity is widely recognized as an essential skill for entrepreneurial success and adaptation to daily-life demands. However, we know little about the neural changes associated with creative capacity enhancement. For the first time, using a prospective, randomized control design, we examined longitudinal changes in brain activity associated with participating in a five-week design-thinking-based Creative Capacity Building Program (CCBP), when compared with Language Capacity Building Program (LCBP). Creativity, an elusive and multifaceted construct, is loosely defined as an ability to produce useful/appropriate and novel outcomes. Here, we focus on one of the facets of creative thinking-spontaneous improvization. Participants were assessed pre- and post-intervention for spontaneous improvization skills using a game-like figural Pictionary-based fMRI task. Whole-brain group-by-time interaction revealed reduced task-related activity in CCBP participants (compared with LCBP participants) after training in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior/paracingulate gyrus, supplementary motor area, and parietal regions. Further, greater cerebellar-cerebral connectivity was observed in CCBP participants at post-intervention when compared with LCBP participants. In sum, our results suggest that improvization-based creative capacity enhancement is associated with reduced engagement of executive functioning regions and increased involvement of spontaneous implicit processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Saggar
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eve-Marie Quintin
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nicholas T Bott
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Pacific Graduate School of Psychology-Stanford University Psy.D. Consortium, 1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Eliza Kienitz
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Pacific Graduate School of Psychology-Stanford University Psy.D. Consortium, 1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Yin-Hsuan Chien
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Taipei City Hospital Zhong-Xing Branch, No. 145 Zhengzhou Rd, Datong area, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Daniel W-C Hong
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ning Liu
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Adam Royalty
- Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, Stanford University, Building 550, 416 Escondido Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Grace Hawthorne
- Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, Stanford University, Building 550, 416 Escondido Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Allan L Reiss
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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42
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Christensen JF. Pleasure junkies all around! Why it matters and why 'the arts' might be the answer: a biopsychological perspective. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2016.2837. [PMID: 28469018 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Today's society is pleasure seeking. We expect to obtain pleasurable experiences fast and easily. We are used to hyper-palatable foods and drinks, and we can get pornography, games and gadgets whenever we want them. THE PROBLEM with this type of pleasure-maximizing choice behaviour we may be turning ourselves into mindless pleasure junkies, handing over our free will for the next dopamine shoot. Pleasure-only activities are fun. In excess, however, such activities might have negative effects on our biopsychological health: they provoke a change in the neural mechanisms underlying choice behaviour. Choice behaviour becomes biased towards short-term pleasure-maximizing goals, just as in the addicted brain (modulated by the amygdala, posterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex' (VMPFC), striatum, nucleus accumbens; 'A-system') and away from long-term prosperity and general well-being maximizing objectives (normally ensured by the insula, anterior VMPFC, hippocampus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); 'I-system'). This paper outlines, first, what 'pleasure' is and what 'pleasure-only' activities are (e.g. social media engagement, hyper-palatable eating). Second, an account is given of the type of action that might aid to maintain the neural systems underlying choice behaviour balanced. Finally, it is proposed that engagement with the arts might be an activity with the potential to foster healthy choice behaviour-and not be just for pleasure. The evidence in this rather new field of research is still piecemeal and inconclusive. This review aims to motivate targeted research in this domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia F Christensen
- Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of London, London, UK .,Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of London, London, UK
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Tian F, Hou Y, Zhu W, Dietrich A, Zhang Q, Yang W, Chen Q, Sun J, Jiang Q, Cao G. Getting the Joke: Insight during Humor Comprehension - Evidence from an fMRI Study. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1835. [PMID: 29093693 PMCID: PMC5651280 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As a high-level cognitive activity, humor comprehension requires incongruity detection and incongruity resolution, which then elicits an insight moment. The purpose of the study was to explore the neural basis of humor comprehension, particularly the moment of insight, by using both characters and language-free cartoons in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. The results showed that insight involving jokes elicited greater activation in language and semantic-related brain regions as well as a variety of additional regions, such as the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), the superior temporal gyrus (STG), the temporoparietal junctions (TPJ), the hippocampus and visual areas. These findings indicate that the MTG might play a role in incongruity detection, while the SFG, IFG and the TPJ might be involved in incongruity detection. The passive insight event elicited by jokes appears to be mediated by a limited number of brain areas. Our study showed that the brain regions associated with humor comprehension were not affected by the type of stimuli and that humor and insight shared common brain areas. These results indicate that one experiences a feeling of insight during humor comprehension, which contributes to the understanding of humor comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuling Hou
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenfeng Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Arne Dietrich
- Department of Psychology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Qinglin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenjing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qunlin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiangzhou Sun
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiu Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guikang Cao
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Sprugnoli G, Rossi S, Emmendorfer A, Rossi A, Liew SL, Tatti E, di Lorenzo G, Pascual-Leone A, Santarnecchi E. Neural correlates of Eureka moment. INTELLIGENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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45
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Shen W, Yuan Y, Liu C, Luo J. The roles of the temporal lobe in creative insight: an integrated review. THINKING & REASONING 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2017.1308885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wangbing Shen
- School of Public Administration and Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
- School of Psychology and Lab of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Chang Liu
- School of Psychology and Lab of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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46
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Danek AH, Wiley J. What about False Insights? Deconstructing the Aha! Experience along Its Multiple Dimensions for Correct and Incorrect Solutions Separately. Front Psychol 2017; 7:2077. [PMID: 28163687 PMCID: PMC5247466 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.02077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The subjective Aha! experience that problem solvers often report when they find a solution has been taken as a marker for insight. If Aha! is closely linked to insightful solution processes, then theoretically, an Aha! should only be experienced when the correct solution is found. However, little work has explored whether the Aha! experience can also accompany incorrect solutions ("false insights"). Similarly, although the Aha! experience is not a unitary construct, little work has explored the different dimensions that have been proposed as its constituents. To address these gaps in the literature, 70 participants were presented with a set of difficult problems (37 magic tricks), and rated each of their solutions for Aha! as well as with regard to Suddenness in the emergence of the solution, Certainty of being correct, Surprise, Pleasure, Relief, and Drive. Solution times were also used as predictors for the Aha! EXPERIENCE This study reports three main findings: First, false insights exist. Second, the Aha! experience is multidimensional and consists of the key components Pleasure, Suddenness and Certainty. Third, although Aha! experiences for correct and incorrect solutions share these three common dimensions, they are also experienced differently with regard to magnitude and quality, with correct solutions emerging faster, leading to stronger Aha! experiences, and higher ratings of Pleasure, Suddenness, and Certainty. Solution correctness proffered a slightly different emotional coloring to the Aha! experience, with the additional perception of Relief for correct solutions, and Surprise for incorrect ones. These results cast some doubt on the assumption that the occurrence of an Aha! experience can serve as a definitive signal that a true insight has taken place. On the other hand, the quantitative and qualitative differences in the experience of correct and incorrect solutions demonstrate that the Aha! experience is not a mere epiphenomenon. Strong Aha! experiences are clearly, but not exclusively linked to correct solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amory H Danek
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jennifer Wiley
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL, USA
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47
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Abstract
Previous studies showed that liberals and conservatives differ in cognitive style. Liberals are more flexible, and tolerant of complexity and novelty, whereas conservatives are more rigid, are more resistant to change, and prefer clear answers. We administered a set of compound remote associate problems, a task extensively used to differentiate problem-solving styles (via insight or analysis). Using this task, several researches have proven that self-reports, which differentiate between insight and analytic problem-solving, are reliable and are associated with two different neural circuits. In our research we found that participants self-identifying with distinct political orientations demonstrated differences in problem-solving strategy. Liberals solved significantly more problems via insight instead of in a step-by-step analytic fashion. Our findings extend previous observations that self-identified political orientations reflect differences in cognitive styles. More specifically, we show that type of political orientation is associated with problem-solving strategy. The data converge with previous neurobehavioural and cognitive studies indicating a link between cognitive style and the psychological mechanisms that mediate political beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- a Department of Psychology , Northwestern University , Chicago , IL , USA.,b Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory , Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Irene Cristofori
- b Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory , Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA.,c Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine , Northwestern University , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Jordan Grafman
- b Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory , Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA.,c Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine , Northwestern University , Chicago , IL , USA.,d Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine , Northwestern University , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Mark Beeman
- a Department of Psychology , Northwestern University , Chicago , IL , USA
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48
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Brain morphometry predicts individual creative potential and the ability to combine remote ideas. Cortex 2017; 86:216-229. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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49
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Amir O, Biederman I. The Neural Correlates of Humor Creativity. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:597. [PMID: 27932965 PMCID: PMC5122582 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike passive humor appreciation, the neural correlates of real-time humor creation have been unexplored. As a case study for creativity, humor generation uniquely affords a reliable assessment of a creative product’s quality with a clear and relatively rapid beginning and end, rendering it amenable to neuroimaging that has the potential for reflecting individual differences in expertise. Professional and amateur “improv” comedians and controls viewed New Yorker cartoon drawings while being scanned. For each drawing, they were instructed to generate either a humorous or a mundane caption. Greater comedic experience was associated with decreased activation in the striatum and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but increased activation in temporal association regions (TMP). Less experienced comedians manifested greater activation of mPFC, reflecting their deliberate search through TMP association space. Professionals, by contrast, tend to reap the fruits of their spontaneous associations with reduced reliance on top-down guided search.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ori Amir
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los AngelesCA, USA; Media Neuroscience Lab, Department of Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa BarbaraCA, USA
| | - Irving Biederman
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los AngelesCA, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Southern California, Los AngelesCA, USA
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50
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Zhang S, Zhang J. The Association of DRD2 with Insight Problem Solving. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1865. [PMID: 27933030 PMCID: PMC5121534 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the insight phenomenon has attracted great attention from psychologists, it is still largely unknown whether its variation in well-functioning human adults has a genetic basis. Several lines of evidence suggest that genes involved in dopamine (DA) transmission might be potential candidates. The present study explored for the first time the association of dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) with insight problem solving. Fifteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering DRD2 were genotyped in 425 unrelated healthy Chinese undergraduates, and were further tested for association with insight problem solving. Both single SNP and haplotype analysis revealed several associations of DRD2 SNPs and haplotypes with insight problem solving. In conclusion, the present study provides the first evidence for the involvement of DRD2 in insight problem solving, future studies are necessary to validate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University Jinan, China
| | - Jinghuan Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University Jinan, China
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