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Zioga I, Kenett YN, Giannopoulos A, Luft CDB. The role of alpha oscillations in free- and goal-directed semantic associations. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26770. [PMID: 38970217 PMCID: PMC11226545 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26770] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha oscillations are known to play a central role in several higher-order cognitive functions, especially selective attention, working memory, semantic memory, and creative thinking. Nonetheless, we still know very little about the role of alpha in the generation of more remote semantic associations, which is key to creative and semantic cognition. Furthermore, it remains unclear how these oscillations are shaped by the intention to "be creative," which is the case in most creativity tasks. We aimed to address these gaps in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we compared alpha oscillatory activity (using a method which distinguishes genuine oscillatory activity from transient events) during the generation of free associations which were more vs. less distant from a given concept. In Experiment 2, we replicated these findings and also compared alpha oscillatory activity when people were generating free associations versus associations with the instruction to be creative (i.e. goal-directed). We found that alpha was consistently higher during the generation of more distant semantic associations, in both experiments. This effect was widespread, involving areas in both left and right hemispheres. Importantly, the instruction to be creative seems to increase alpha phase synchronisation from left to right temporal brain areas, suggesting that intention to be creative changed the flux of information in the brain, likely reflecting an increase in top-down control of semantic search processes. We conclude that goal-directed generation of remote associations relies on top-down mechanisms compared to when associations are freely generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Zioga
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Yoed N. Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion—Israel Institute of TechnologyHaifaIsrael
| | - Anastasios Giannopoulos
- School of Electrical and Computer EngineeringNational Technical University of Athens (NTUA) AthensAthensGreece
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2
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Kenett YN, Chrysikou EG, Bassett DS, Thompson-Schill SL. Neural Dynamics During the Generation and Evaluation of Creative and Non-Creative Ideas. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589621. [PMID: 38659810 PMCID: PMC11042297 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
What are the neural dynamics that drive creative thinking? Recent studies have provided much insight into the neural mechanisms of creative thought. Specifically, the interaction between the executive control, default mode, and salience brain networks has been shown to be an important marker of individual differences in creative ability. However, how these different brain systems might be recruited dynamically during the two key components of the creative process-generation and evaluation of ideas-remains far from understood. In the current study we applied state-of-the-art network neuroscience methodologies to examine the neural dynamics related to the generation and evaluation of creative and non-creative ideas using a novel within-subjects design. Participants completed two functional magnetic resonance imaging sessions, taking place a week apart. In the first imaging session, participants generated either creative (alternative uses) or non-creative (common characteristics) responses to common objects. In the second imaging session, participants evaluated their own creative and non-creative responses to the same objects. Network neuroscience methods were applied to examine and directly compare reconfiguration, integration, and recruitment of brain networks during these four conditions. We found that generating creative ideas led to significantly higher network reconfiguration than generating non-creative ideas, whereas evaluating creative and non-creative ideas led to similar levels of network integration. Furthermore, we found that these differences were attributable to different dynamic patterns of neural activity across the executive control, default mode, and salience networks. This study is the first to show within-subject differences in neural dynamics related to generating and evaluating creative and non-creative ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoed N Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, 3200003
| | - Evangelia G Chrysikou
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dani S Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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3
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Rosen D, Oh Y, Chesebrough C, Zhang FZ, Kounios J. Creative flow as optimized processing: Evidence from brain oscillations during jazz improvisations by expert and non-expert musicians. Neuropsychologia 2024; 196:108824. [PMID: 38387554 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108824] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Using a creative production task, jazz improvisation, we tested alternative hypotheses about the flow experience: (A) that it is a state of domain-specific processing optimized by experience and characterized by minimal interference from task-negative default-mode network (DMN) activity versus (B) that it recruits domain-general task-positive DMN activity supervised by the fronto-parietal control network (FPCN) to support ideation. We recorded jazz guitarists' electroencephalograms (EEGs) while they improvised to provided chord sequences. Their flow-states were measured with the Core Flow State Scale. Flow-related neural sources were reconstructed using SPM12. Over all musicians, high-flow (relative to low-flow) improvisations were associated with transient hypofrontality. High-experience musicians' high-flow improvisations showed reduced activity in posterior DMN nodes. Low-experience musicians showed no flow-related DMN or FPCN modulation. High-experience musicians also showed modality-specific left-hemisphere flow-related activity while low-experience musicians showed modality-specific right-hemisphere flow-related deactivations. These results are consistent with the idea that creative flow represents optimized domain-specific processing enabled by extensive practice paired with reduced cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rosen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, United States.
| | - Yongtaek Oh
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, United States.
| | | | - Fengqing Zoe Zhang
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, United States.
| | - John Kounios
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, United States.
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4
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Lee SMK, Law NSH, Tong SX. Unraveling Temporal Dynamics of Multidimensional Statistical Learning in Implicit and Explicit Systems: An X-Way Hypothesis. Cogn Sci 2024; 48:e13437. [PMID: 38564270 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Statistical learning enables humans to involuntarily process and utilize different kinds of patterns from the environment. However, the cognitive mechanisms underlying the simultaneous acquisition of multiple regularities from different perceptual modalities remain unclear. A novel multidimensional serial reaction time task was developed to test 40 participants' ability to learn simple first-order and complex second-order relations between uni-modal visual and cross-modal audio-visual stimuli. Using the difference in reaction times between sequenced and random stimuli as the index of domain-general statistical learning, a significant difference and dissociation of learning occurred between the initial and final learning phases. Furthermore, we used a negative and positive occurrence-frequency-and-reaction-time correlation to indicate implicit and explicit learning, respectively, and found that learning simple uni-modal patterns involved an implicit-to-explicit segue, while acquiring complex cross-modal patterns required an explicit-to-implicit segue, resulting in a X-shape crossing of regularity learning. Thus, we propose an X-way hypothesis to elucidate the dynamic interplay between the implicit and explicit systems at two distinct stages when acquiring various regularities in a multidimensional probability space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Man-Kit Lee
- Academic Unit of Human Communication, Learning, and Development, The University of Hong Kong
| | - Nicole Sin Hang Law
- Academic Unit of Human Communication, Learning, and Development, The University of Hong Kong
- Department of Education, University of Oxford
| | - Shelley Xiuli Tong
- Academic Unit of Human Communication, Learning, and Development, The University of Hong Kong
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5
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Dengler J, Deck BL, Stoll H, Fernandez-Nunez G, Kelkar AS, Rich RR, Erickson BA, Erani F, Faseyitan O, Hamilton RH, Medaglia JD. Enhancing cognitive control with transcranial magnetic stimulation in subject-specific frontoparietal networks. Cortex 2024; 172:141-158. [PMID: 38330778 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.11.020] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive control processes, including those involving frontoparietal networks, are highly variable between individuals, posing challenges to basic and clinical sciences. While distinct frontoparietal networks have been associated with specific cognitive control functions such as switching, inhibition, and working memory updating functions, there have been few basic tests of the role of these networks at the individual level. METHODS To examine the role of cognitive control at the individual level, we conducted a within-subject excitatory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study in 19 healthy individuals that targeted intrinsic ("resting") frontoparietal networks. Person-specific intrinsic networks were identified with resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans to determine TMS targets. The participants performed three cognitive control tasks: an adapted Navon figure-ground task (requiring set switching), n-back (working memory), and Stroop color-word (inhibition). OBJECTIVE Hypothesis: We predicted that stimulating a network associated with externally oriented control [the "FPCN-B" (fronto-parietal control network)] would improve performance on the set switching and working memory task relative to a network associated with attention (the Dorsal Attention Network, DAN) and cranial vertex in a full within-subjects crossover design. RESULTS We found that set switching performance was enhanced by FPCN-B stimulation along with some evidence of enhancement in the higher-demand n-back conditions. CONCLUSION Higher task demands or proactive control might be a distinguishing role of the FPCN-B, and personalized intrinsic network targeting is feasible in TMS designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Dengler
- School of Biomedical Engineering Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin L Deck
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Harrison Stoll
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Apoorva S Kelkar
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ryan R Rich
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian A Erickson
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fareshte Erani
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Roy H Hamilton
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - John D Medaglia
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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6
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Csizmadia P, Nagy B, Kővári L, Gaál ZA. Exploring the role of working memory gate opening process in creativity: An ERP study using the reference-back paradigm. Biol Psychol 2024; 187:108765. [PMID: 38417665 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2024.108765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
We investigated the relationship between the gate opening process of working memory and an individual's proficiency in divergent (DT) and convergent thinking (CT) using the reference-back paradigm. Event-related potentials and reaction times were measured across groups with varying DT (N = 40, 27.35 ± 5.05 years) and CT levels (N = 40, 27.88 ± 4.95 years). Based on the role of striatal dopamine in supporting cognitive flexibility, which facilitates DT, and considering the significance of phasic dopamine activity as the gate opening signal originating from the basal ganglia, we assumed that the gate opening process may contribute differently to DT and CT. Despite the absence of behavioural differences in gate opening costs, distinct neural patterns emerged. In the early time windows (P1, N1), gate opening effects were detected in both DT and CT groups, with a notable interaction influenced by the level of DT, resulting in significant effects within the lower DT group. The P2 component showed a gate opening effect only in the higher DT group. In the P3 time window, the process unfolded comparably in all groups. Our results suggest that groups with different levels of convergent thinking (based on Matrix reasoning) and those with lower DT (based on Creativity Index) tend to select and activate the prefrontal cortex representation containing the required task information at an earlier stage, compared to those with better DT. This could be beneficial especially in the early phase of idea generation, as more elements become available to create associations and original ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Csizmadia
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2., H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Department of Cognitive Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Boglárka Nagy
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2., H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Department of Cognitive Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lili Kővári
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2., H-1117 Budapest, Hungary; Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Kazinczy utca 23-27., H-1075 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Anna Gaál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2., H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
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7
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Khalil R, Demarin V. Creative therapy in health and disease: Inner vision. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14266. [PMID: 37305955 PMCID: PMC10915997 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Can we better understand the unique mechanisms of de novo abilities in light of our current knowledge of the psychological and neuroscientific literature on creativity? This review outlines the state-of-the-art in the neuroscience of creativity and points out crucial aspects that still demand further exploration, such as brain plasticity. The progressive development of current neuroscience research on creativity presents a multitude of prospects and potentials for furnishing efficacious therapy in the context of health and illness. Therefore, we discuss directions for future studies, identifying a focus on pinpointing the neglected beneficial practices for creative therapy. We emphasize the neglected neuroscience perspective of creativity on health and disease and how creative therapy could offer limitless possibilities to improve our well-being and give hope to patients with neurodegenerative diseases to compensate for their brain injuries and cognitive impairments by expressing their hidden creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radwa Khalil
- School of Business, Social and Decision SciencesConstructor UniversityBremenGermany
| | - Vida Demarin
- International Institute for Brain HealthZagrebCroatia
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8
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Ganter-Argast C, Schipper M, Shamsrizi M, Stein C, Khalil R. The light side of gaming: creativity and brain plasticity. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 17:1280989. [PMID: 38249576 PMCID: PMC10796710 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1280989] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Could gaming enhance brain plasticity and executive functions (EFs) by fostering creativity? We identify vital benefits from further research exploring the relationship between games, brain plasticity, and creativity. The ongoing progress in neuroscience research in these three disciplines offers many possibilities and prospects for impactful therapy. Therefore, we emphasize the significance of investigating the untapped potentials of using games in creative therapy-our perspective on the often-overlooked neuroscientific aspect of creativity concerning health and wellbeing. One of these potentials is examining games as a therapeutic tool, focusing on their capacity to inspire and engage the imagination and other mental operators shared with creativity. Using a game as a therapeutic approach may boost brain plasticity, which may help them reduce their cognitive impairments by improving their EFs. This review offers a comprehensive outline of the latest advancements in the literature on games that tie to creativity through enhancing brain plasticity and EFs. Communicating this knowledge can furnish countless possibilities to improve our overall health and wellbeing and foster a positive perspective in individuals affected by anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Ganter-Argast
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- University of Applied Sciences, Nürtingen-Geislingen, Nürtingen, Germany
| | - Marc Schipper
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Ottersberg, Germany
- Institute for Psychology, Arts, and Society, Bremen, Germany
| | - Manouchehr Shamsrizi
- IFA – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, Stuttgart, Germany
- Excellence Cluster Matters of Activity / Gamelab.Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Stein
- Excellence Cluster Matters of Activity / Gamelab.Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Radwa Khalil
- School of Business, Social, and Decision Sciences, Constructor University, Bremen, Germany
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9
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Matheson HE, Kenett YN, Gerver C, Beaty RE. Representing creative thought: A representational similarity analysis of creative idea generation and evaluation. Neuropsychologia 2023; 187:108587. [PMID: 37268289 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108587] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Dual process theories of creativity suggest that creative thought is supported by both a generation phase, where unconstrained ideas are generated and combined in novel ways, and an evaluation phase, where those ideas are filtered for usefulness in context. Neurocognitively, both the default mode network (DMN) and the executive control network (ECN) have been implicated in generation and evaluation, respectively. Importantly, generating and evaluating ideas implies that the same information, reflected in patterns of neural activity, must be present in both phases, suggesting that information should be 'reinstated' (i.e. multidimensional patterns must reappear) within and/or between network nodes. In the present study, we used representational similarity analysis (RSA) to investigate the extent to which nodes of the DMN and ECN reinstate information between a generation phase, in which participants generated novel or appropriate word associations to single nouns, and an evaluation phase, where we presented the associations back to participants to evaluate them. We showed strong evidence for reinstatement within the ECN dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex during the novel association task, and within the DMN medial prefrontal cortex during the appropriate association task. We additionally showed between network reinstatement between the ECN dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex and the DMN posterior parietal cortex during the novelty task. These results demonstrate the importance of both within- and between-informational reinstatement for generating and evaluating ideas, and implicate both the DMN and ECN in dual process models of creativity.
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10
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Ivancovsky T, Baror S, Bar M. A shared novelty-seeking basis for creativity and curiosity. Behav Brain Sci 2023; 47:e89. [PMID: 37547934 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23002807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Curiosity and creativity are central pillars of human growth and invention. Although they have been studied extensively in isolation, the relationship between them has not yet been established. We propose that both curiosity and creativity emanate from the same mechanism of novelty seeking. We first present a synthesis showing that curiosity and creativity are affected similarly by a number of key cognitive faculties such as memory, cognitive control, attention, and reward. We then review empirical evidence from neuroscience research, indicating that the same brain regions are involved in both curiosity and creativity, focusing on the interplay between three major brain networks: the default mode network, the salience network, and the executive control network. After substantiating the link between curiosity and creativity, we propose a novelty-seeking model (NSM) that underlies them and suggests that the manifestation of the NSM is governed by one's state of mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Ivancovsky
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan,
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
| | - Shira Baror
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Moshe Bar
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan,
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11
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Rogers CJ, Tolmie A, Massonnié J, Thomas MSC. Complex cognition and individual variability: a mixed methods study of the relationship between creativity and executive control. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1191893. [PMID: 37425186 PMCID: PMC10323225 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191893] [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: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the methodological challenges of educational neuroscience is understanding real world cognition in the multifaceted environment of the classroom. Complex cognition does not simplify to processes (which might be satisfactorily measured in the lab) but to sets of activities, likely to vary between individuals, which involve the iterative use of multiple processes, as well as the environment, over an extended period of time. As such, studying complex cognition requires methodological flexibility; any single method is unlikely to provide complete answers. We illustrate this idea with our research exploring the relationship between executive control (EC) and creativity in primary school age children; in it, we used both qualitative and quantitative tools and a novel approach to bringing both sets of findings together. Quantitative findings helped inform 'how much' a participant could deploy EC or creative thinking, while qualitative findings told us more about 'how' they deployed EC in their creativity. Through triangulating findings, we gained insights which would have remained obscure using either approach alone; namely, first, that wide variation in how children deploy EC in creativity means that the same creative results can be achieved with very different levels of EC involvement, and second, that high levels of EC can limit creativity. We argue that, beyond the specific findings of this study, there might be useful broader methodological lessons for educational neuroscience. We also attempt to demystify mixed methods by showing that a multi-pronged approach is more feasible than many assume; for example, by using existing, familiar tools in novel ways. In our work, we redeployed well-established quantitative tests used in creativity research as stimuli for qualitative investigation. For educational neuroscience to evolve its understanding of complex cognition, we suggest it might benefit from being innovative, open-minded and ambitious in how it exploits the diversity of methodological tools available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy J. Rogers
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Tolmie
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Massonnié
- School of Education, Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - Michael S. C. Thomas
- Centre for Educational Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, London, United Kingdom
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12
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Chu C, Zhang Z, Wang J, Wang L, Shen X, Bai L, Li Z, Dong M, Liu C, Yi G, Zhu X. Evolution of brain network dynamics in early Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment. Cogn Neurodyn 2023; 17:681-694. [PMID: 37265660 PMCID: PMC10229513 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-022-09868-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
How mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is instantiated in dynamically interacting and spatially distributed functional brain networks remains an unexplored mystery in early Parkinson's disease (PD). We applied a machine-learning technology based on personalized sliding-window algorithm to track continuously time-varying and overlapping subnetworks under the functional brain networks calculated form resting state electroencephalogram data within a sample of 33 early PD patients (13 early PD patients with MCI and 20 early PD patients without MCI). We decoded a set of subnetworks that captured surprisingly dynamically varying and integrated interactions among certain brain lobes. We observed that the master expressed subnetworks were particularly transient, and flexibly switching between high and low expression during integration into a dynamic brain network. This transience was particularly salient in a subnetwork predominantly linking temporal-parietal-occipital lobes, which decreases in both expression and flexibility in early PD patients with MCI and expresses their degree of cognitive impairment. Moreover, MCI induced a regularly interrupted, slow evolution of subnetworks in functional brain network dynamics in early PD at the individual level, and the dynamic expression characteristics of subnetworks also reflected the degree of cognitive impairment in patients with early PD. Collectively, these results provide novel and deeper insights regarding MCI-induced abnormal dynamical interaction and large-scale changes in functional brain network of early PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunguang Chu
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Jiang Wang
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Liufang Wang
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Xiao Shen
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052 China
| | - Lipeng Bai
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052 China
| | - Zhuo Li
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052 China
| | - Mengmeng Dong
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052 China
| | - Chen Liu
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Guosheng Yi
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Xiaodong Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052 China
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13
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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 Combining Remote Semantic Associates for Creative Thinking. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2023.2192563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Ovando-Tellez
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Yoed N. Kenett
- Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology,Haifa Israel
| | | | - Matthieu Bernard
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Joan Belo
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Benoit Beranger
- Sorbonne University, CENIR at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Theophile Bieth
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
- Neurology department, Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Volle
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
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14
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Kenett YN, Humphries S, Chatterjee A. A Thirst for Knowledge: Grounding Curiosity, Creativity, and Aesthetics in Memory and Reward Neural Systems. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2023.2165748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoed N. Kenett
- Technion - Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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15
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Sargent M, LePage A, Kenett YN, Matheson HE. The Effects of Environmental Scene and Body Posture on Embodied Strategies in Creative Thinking. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2022.2160563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Sargent
- Psychology Department, University of Northern British Columbia
| | - Alex LePage
- Psychology Department, University of Northern British Columbia
| | - Yoed N. Kenett
- The Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
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16
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Garcia-Burgos D. Associative learning and high-level cognitive processes in the control of food-related behaviors. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2022.101207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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17
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Ovando-Tellez M, Benedek M, Kenett YN, Hills T, Bouanane S, Bernard M, Belo J, Bieth T, Volle E. An investigation of the cognitive and neural correlates of semantic memory search related to creative ability. Commun Biol 2022; 5:604. [PMID: 35710948 PMCID: PMC9203494 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03547-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Creative ideas likely result from searching and combining semantic memory knowledge, yet the mechanisms acting on memory to yield creative ideas remain unclear. Here, we identified the neurocognitive correlates of semantic search components related to creative abilities. We designed an associative fluency task based on polysemous words and distinguished two search components related to clustering and switching between the different meanings of the polysemous words. Clustering correlated with divergent thinking, while switching correlated with the ability to combine remote associates. Furthermore, switching correlated with semantic memory structure and executive abilities, and was predicted by connectivity between the default, control, and salience neural networks. In contrast, clustering relied on interactions between control, salience, and attentional neural networks. Our results suggest that switching captures interactions between memory structure and control processes guiding the search whereas clustering may capture attentional controlled processes for persistent search, and that alternations between exploratory search and focused attention support creativity.
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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
| | - Thomas Hills
- Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, University Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Sarah Bouanane
- Sorbonne University, FrontLab at Paris Brain Institute (ICM), INSERM, CNRS, 75013, Paris, France
| | - 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
| | - 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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18
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Eichorn N, Pirutinsky S. Dual-Task Effects on Concurrent Speech Production in School-Age Children With and Without Stuttering Disorders. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:2144-2159. [PMID: 35658493 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-21-00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Contemporary motor theories indicate that well-practiced movements are best performed automatically, without conscious attention or monitoring. We applied this perspective to speech production in school-age children and examined how dual-task conditions that engaged sustained attention affected speech fluency, speech rate, and language productivity in children with and without stuttering disorders. METHOD Participants included 47 children (19 children who stutter, 28 children who do not stutter) from 7 to 12 years of age. Children produced speech in two baseline conditions with no concurrent task and under a dual-task condition requiring sustained attention to on-screen stimuli. Measures of speech fluency, speech rate, and language productivity were obtained for each trial and compared across conditions and groups. RESULTS Dual-task conditions resulted in a reduction in stutter-like disfluencies relative to the initial baseline speaking condition. Effects were similar for both groups of children and could not be attributed to decreases in language productivity or a simple order effect. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that diverting attention during the process of speech production enhances speech fluency in children, possibly by increasing the automaticity of motor speech sequences. Further research is needed to clarify neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these changes and to evaluate potential clinical applications of such effects. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.19945838.
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19
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Hendry A, Agyapong MA, D'Souza H, Frick MA, Portugal AM, Konke LA, Cloke H, Bedford R, Smith TJ, Karmiloff‐Smith A, Jones EJ, Charman T, Brocki KC. Inhibitory control and problem solving in early childhood: Exploring the burdens and benefits of high self-control. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2022; 31:e2297. [PMID: 35983171 PMCID: PMC9364682 DOI: 10.1002/icd.2297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Low inhibitory control (IC) is sometimes associated with enhanced problem-solving amongst adults, yet for young children high IC is primarily framed as inherently better than low IC. Here, we explore associations between IC and performance on a novel problem-solving task, amongst 102 English 2- and 3-year-olds (Study 1) and 84 Swedish children, seen at 18-months and 4-years (Study 2). Generativity during problem-solving was negatively associated with IC, as measured by prohibition-compliance (Study 1, both ages, Study 2 longitudinally from 18-months). High parent-reported IC was associated with poorer overall problem-solving success, and greater perseveration (Study 1, 3-year-olds only). Benefits of high parent-reported IC on persistence could be accounted for by developmental level. No concurrent association was observed between problem-solving performance and IC as measured with a Delay-of-Gratification task (Study 2, concurrent associations at 4-years). We suggest that, for young children, high IC may confer burden on insight- and analytic-aspects of problem-solving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Hendry
- Psychology DepartmentInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Mary A. Agyapong
- Psychology DepartmentInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Hana D'Souza
- Department of Psychology & Newnham CollegeUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Ana Maria Portugal
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's HealthCenter of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | | | - Hamish Cloke
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Rachael Bedford
- Department of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of BathBathUK
| | - Tim J. Smith
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Emily J.H. Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Tony Charman
- Psychology DepartmentInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
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20
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Christofalos AL, Pambuccian FS, Raney GE. Too depleted to comprehend: resource depletion impairs situation model comprehension. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2022.2063296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gary E. Raney
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA
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21
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Johnson DR, Hass RW. Semantic Context Search in Creative Idea Generation. JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jocb.534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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22
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Wang X, Li Y, Li X, Dai DY, Hu W. The influence of varying positive affect in approach-motivation intensity on creative idea generation and creative idea evaluation: an fNIRS study. THINKING & REASONING 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2022.2039293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xuewei Wang
- Centre for Mental Health Education, Xidian University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yadan Li
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology (Ministry of Education), Center for Teacher Professional Ability Development, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Towards Basic Education Quality at, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology (Ministry of Education), Center for Teacher Professional Ability Development, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
| | - David Yun Dai
- Educational Psychology and Methodology, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Weiping Hu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology (Ministry of Education), Center for Teacher Professional Ability Development, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Towards Basic Education Quality at, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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23
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The default network is causally linked to creative thinking. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1848-1854. [PMID: 34974525 PMCID: PMC9095481 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01403-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Creative thinking represents a major evolutionary mechanism that greatly contributed to the rapid advancement of the human species. The ability to produce novel and useful ideas, or original thinking, is thought to correlate well with unexpected, synchronous activation of several large-scale, dispersed cortical networks, such as the default network (DN). Despite a vast amount of correlative evidence, a causal link between default network and creativity has yet to be demonstrated. Surgeries for resection of brain tumors that lie in proximity to speech related areas are performed while the patient is awake to map the exposed cortical surface for language functions. Such operations provide a unique opportunity to explore human behavior while disrupting a focal cortical area via focal electrical stimulation. We used a novel paradigm of individualized direct cortical stimulation to examine the association between creative thinking and the DN. Preoperative resting-state fMRI was used to map the DN in individual patients. A cortical area identified as a DN node (study) or outside the DN (controls) was stimulated while the participants performed an alternate-uses-task (AUT). This task measures divergent thinking through the number and originality of different uses provided for an everyday object. Baseline AUT performance in the operating room was positively correlated with DN integrity. Direct cortical stimulation at the DN node resulted in decreased ability to produce alternate uses, but not in the originality of uses produced. Stimulation in areas that when used as network seed regions produced a network similar to the canonical DN was associated with reduction of creative fluency. Stimulation of areas that did not produce a default-like network (controls) did not alter creative thinking. This is the first study to causally link the DN and creative thinking.
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24
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Zmigrod L, Robbins TW. Dopamine, Cognitive Flexibility, and IQ: Epistatic Catechol-O-MethylTransferase:DRD2 Gene-Gene Interactions Modulate Mental Rigidity. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 34:153-179. [PMID: 34818409 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility has been hypothesized to be neurochemically rooted in dopamine neurotransmission. Nonetheless, underpowered sample sizes and contradictory meta-analytic findings have obscured the role of dopamine genes in cognitive flexibility and neglected potential gene-gene interactions. In this largest neurocognitive-genetic study to date (n = 1400), single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with elevated prefrontal dopamine levels (catechol-O-methyltransferase; rs4680) and diminished striatal dopamine (C957T; rs6277) were both implicated in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance. Crucially, however, these genetic effects were only evident in low-IQ participants, suggesting high intelligence compensates for, and eliminates, the effect of dispositional dopamine functioning on flexibility. This interaction between cognitive systems may explain and resolve previous empirical inconsistencies in highly educated participant samples. Moreover, compensatory gene-gene interactions were discovered between catechol-O-methyltransferase and DRD2, such that genotypes conferring either elevated prefrontal dopamine or diminished striatal dopamine-via heightened striatally concentrated D2 dopamine receptor availability-are sufficient for cognitive flexibility, but neither is necessary. The study has therefore revealed a form of epistatic redundancy or substitutability among dopamine systems in shaping adaptable thought and action, thus defining boundary conditions for dopaminergic effects on flexible behavior. These results inform theories of clinical disorders and psychopharmacological interventions and uncover complex fronto-striatal synergies in human flexible cognition.
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25
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Vaisarova J, Carlson SM. When a spoon is not a spoon: Examining the role of executive function in young children's divergent thinking. Trends Neurosci Educ 2021; 25:100161. [PMID: 34844693 DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2021.100161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research with adults suggests that executive function (EF) might play a role in the development of divergent thinking, a key component of creativity, by helping children override canonical knowledge. PROCEDURE We examined this possibility in two experiments, by manipulating the familiarity of objects used in the Alternate Uses test of divergent thinking both between-participants (Experiment 1: N = 53 4-year-olds and 50 6-year-olds) and within-participants (Experiment 2: N = 74 5-year-olds). FINDINGS We found evidence that younger children generated more and/or more original ideas for novel than familiar objects. However, this effect disappeared with age and did not depend on child EF. Further, EF was inversely associated with divergent thinking, controlling for age, intelligence, and income. SIGNIFICANCE These results call into question a simple executive account of children's divergent thinking and suggest that, among predominantly White, socioeconomically advantaged 4-6-year-olds, divergent idea-generation might be a primarily bottom-up process that can be hindered by top-down thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Vaisarova
- Corresponding Author. Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Stephanie M Carlson
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 51 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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26
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Csizmadia P, Czigler I, Nagy B, Gaál ZA. Does Creativity Influence Visual Perception? - An Event-Related Potential Study With Younger and Older Adults. Front Psychol 2021; 12:742116. [PMID: 34733213 PMCID: PMC8558308 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.742116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We do not know enough about the cognitive background of creativity despite its significance. Using an active oddball paradigm with unambiguous and ambiguous portrait paintings as the standard stimuli, our aim was to examine whether: creativity in the figural domain influences the perception of visual stimuli; any stages of visual processing; or if healthy aging has an effect on these processes. We investigated event related potentials (ERPs) and applied ERP decoding analyses in four groups: younger less creative; younger creative; older less creative; and older creative adults. The early visual processing did not differ between creativity groups. In the later ERP stages the amplitude for the creative compared with the less creative groups was larger between 300 and 500 ms. The stimuli types were clearly distinguishable: within the 300–500 ms range the amplitude was larger for ambiguous rather than unambiguous paintings, but this difference in the traditional ERP analysis was only observable in the younger, not elderly groups, who also had this difference when using decoding analysis. Our results could not prove that visual creativity influences the early stage of perception, but showed creativity had an effect on stimulus processing in the 300–500 ms range, in indexing differences in top-down control, and having more flexible cognitive control in the younger creative group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Csizmadia
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Psychology (Cognitive Science), Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - István Czigler
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Boglárka Nagy
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Psychology (Cognitive Science), Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Anna Gaál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
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27
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Xie H, Beaty RE, Jahanikia S, Geniesse C, Sonalkar NS, Saggar M. Spontaneous and deliberate modes of creativity: Multitask eigen-connectivity analysis captures latent cognitive modes during creative thinking. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118531. [PMID: 34469816 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite substantial progress in the quest of demystifying the brain basis of creativity, several questions remain open. One such issue concerns the relationship between two latent cognitive modes during creative thinking, i.e., deliberate goal-directed cognition and spontaneous thought generation. Although an interplay between deliberate and spontaneous thinking is often implicated in the creativity literature (e.g., dual-process models), a bottom-up data-driven validation of the cognitive processes associated with creative thinking is still lacking. Here, we attempted to capture the latent modes of creative thinking by utilizing a data-driven approach on a novel continuous multitask paradigm (CMP) that widely sampled a hypothetical two-dimensional cognitive plane of deliberate and spontaneous thinking in a single fMRI session. The CMP consisted of eight task blocks ranging from undirected mind wandering to goal-directed working memory task, while also included two widely-used creativity tasks, i.e., alternate uses task (AUT) and remote association task (RAT). Using eigen-connectivity (EC) analysis on the multitask whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) patterns, we embedded the multitask FCs into a low-dimensional latent space. The first two latent components, as revealed by the EC analysis, broadly mapped onto the two cognitive modes of deliberate and spontaneous thinking, respectively. Further, in this low-dimensional space, both creativity tasks were located in the upper right corner of high deliberate and spontaneous thinking (creative cognitive space). Neuroanatomically, the creative cognitive space was represented by not only increased intra-network connectivity within executive control and default mode network, but also by higher coupling between the two canonical brain networks. Further, individual differences reflected in the low-dimensional connectivity embeddings were related to differences in deliberate and spontaneous thinking abilities. Altogether, using a continuous multitask paradigm and a data-driven approach, we provide initial empirical evidence for the contribution of both deliberate and spontaneous modes of cognition during creative thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Xie
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, USA
| | - Roger E Beaty
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, USA
| | - Sahar Jahanikia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, USA
| | | | | | - Manish Saggar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, USA.
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28
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Puente‐Díaz R, Cavazos‐Arroyo J, Puerta‐Sierra L. Idea Generation, Selection, and Evaluation: A Metacognitive Approach. JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jocb.505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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29
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Chrysikou EG, Morrow HM, Flohrschutz A, Denney L. Augmenting ideational fluency in a creativity task across multiple transcranial direct current stimulation montages. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8874. [PMID: 33893329 PMCID: PMC8065129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85804-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) research has revealed that generating novel ideas is associated with both reductions and increases in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity, and engagement of posterior occipital cortex, among other regions. However, there is substantial variability in the robustness of these tDCS‐induced effects due to heterogeneous sample sizes, different creativity measures, and methodological diversity in the application of tDCS across laboratories. To address these shortcomings, we used twelve different montages within a standardized tDCS protocol to investigate how altering activity in frontotemporal and occipital cortex impacts creative thinking. Across four experiments, 246 participants generated either the common or an uncommon use for 60 object pictures while undergoing tDCS. Participants also completed a control short-term memory task. We applied active tDCS for 20 min at 1.5 mA through two 5 cm × 5 cm electrodes over left or right ventrolateral prefrontal (areas F7, F8) or occipital (areas O1, O2) cortex, concurrent bilateral stimulation of these regions across polarities, or sham stimulation. Cathodal stimulation of the left, but not right, ventrolateral PFC improved fluency in creative idea generation, but had no effects on originality, as approximated by measures of semantic distance. No effects were obtained for the control tasks. Concurrent bilateral stimulation of the ventrolateral PFC regardless of polarity direction, and excitatory stimulation of occipital cortex did not alter task performance. Highlighting the importance of cross-experimental methodological consistency, these results extend our past findings and contribute to our understanding of the role of left PFC in creative thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia G Chrysikou
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, 3201 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA.
| | | | | | - Lauryn Denney
- University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, USA
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30
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Fusi G, Crepaldi M, Colautti L, Palmiero M, Antonietti A, Rozzini L, Rusconi ML. Divergent Thinking Abilities in Frontotemporal Dementia: A Mini-Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:652543. [PMID: 33935913 PMCID: PMC8085258 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.652543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A large number of studies, including single case and case series studies, have shown that patients with different types of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are characterized by the emergence of artistic abilities. This led to the hypothesis of enhanced creative thinking skills as a function of these pathological conditions. However, in the last years, it has been argued that these brain pathologies lead only to an augmented “drive to produce” rather than to the emergence of creativity. Moreover, only a few studies analyzed specific creative skills, such as divergent thinking (DT), by standardized tests. This Mini-Review aimed to examine the extent to which DT abilities are preserved in patients affected by FTD. Results showed that DT abilities (both verbal and figural) are altered in different ways according to the specific anatomical and functional changes associated with the diverse forms of FTD. On the one hand, patients affected by the behavioral form of FTD can produce many ideas because of unimpaired access to memory stores (i.e., episodic and semantic), but are not able to recombine flexibly the information to produce original ideas because of damages in the pre-frontal cortex. On the other hand, patients affected by the semantic variant are impaired also in terms of fluency because of the degradation of their semantic memory store. Potential implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Fusi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maura Crepaldi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Laura Colautti
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Luca Rozzini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Rusconi
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
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31
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PeÑa J, Sampedro A, GÓmez‐Gastiasoro A, Ibarretxe‐Bilbao N, Zubiaurre‐Elorza L, Aguiar C, Ojeda N. The Effect of Changing the Balance Between Right and Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Different Creativity Tasks: A Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation Study. JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jocb.496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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32
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Noninvasive brain stimulation to lateral prefrontal cortex alters the novelty of creative idea generation. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:311-326. [PMID: 33624232 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00869-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Theories of the processes involved in creative cognition posit that cognitive control has a negative effect on creative idea generation but a positive effect on creative idea evaluation. Brain stimulation research has started to examine empirically the effects of cognitive control, with several reports of decreased cognitive control facilitating creative ideation. Such studies have shown how decreased cognitive control mechanisms facilitate creative idea generation, potentially by allowing participants access to less inhibited weaker-related associations, thereby increasing novelty. In the current study, we advance this line of work by investigating how cognitive control affects creative thinking, potentially inhibiting or facilitating novel idea generation based on task demands. Participants read sentences with the final word missing and were instructed to complete the sentence with an uncommon (but appropriate) ending. Participants performed this task while undergoing either anodal (excitatory), cathodal (inhibitory), or sham (control) transcranial direct current stimulation over their left prefrontal cortex. These responses were then rated for their novelty and appropriateness by an independent sample of raters. We found that anodal stimulation increased the appropriateness and decreased the novelty of participants' responses. Contrary to previous studies, we did not find that cathodal stimulation increased the novelty of participants' responses, which may be due to the nature of our task. Overall, we demonstrate how cognitive control mechanisms may inhibit novel idea generation.
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Wang X, Li Y, Li X, Duan H, Li Y, Hu W. Role of Avoidance-Motivation Intensity in Creative Thinking: Similar and Differential Effects across Creative Idea Generation and Evaluation. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2020.1856595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Weiping Hu
- Shaanxi Normal University
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Towards Basic Education Quality at Beijing Normal University
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34
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Differences in brain activity patterns during creative idea generation between eminent and non-eminent thinkers. Neuroimage 2020; 220:117011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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35
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Marron TR, Berant E, Axelrod V, Faust M. Spontaneous cognition and its relationship to human creativity: A functional connectivity study involving a chain free association task. Neuroimage 2020; 220:117064. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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36
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Differences in brain morphometry associated with creative performance in high- and average-creative achievers. Neuroimage 2020; 218:116921. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
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Blanco NJ, Sloutsky VM. Attentional mechanisms drive systematic exploration in young children. Cognition 2020; 202:104327. [PMID: 32464341 PMCID: PMC7369238 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Exploration is critical for discovering how the world works. Exploration should be particularly valuable for young children, who have little knowledge about the world. Theories of decision-making describe systematic exploration as being primarily driven by top-down cognitive control, which is immature in young children. Recent research suggests that a type of systematic exploration predominates in young children's choices, despite immature control, suggesting that it may be driven by different mechanisms. We hypothesize that young children's tendency to distribute attention widely promotes elevated exploration, and that interrupting distributed attention allocation through bottom-up attentional capture would also disrupt systematic exploration. We test this hypothesis by manipulating saliency of the options in a simple choice task. Saliency disrupted systematic exploration, thus indicating that attentional mechanisms may drive children's systematic exploratory behavior. We suggest that both may be part of a larger tendency toward broad information gathering in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel J Blanco
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America.
| | - Vladimir M Sloutsky
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America.
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38
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Helmlinger B, Sommer M, Feldhammer-Kahr M, Wood G, Arendasy ME, Kober SE. Programming experience associated with neural efficiency during figural reasoning. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13351. [PMID: 32770065 PMCID: PMC7415147 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70360-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated neural processes underlying programming experience. Individuals with high programming experience might develop a form of computational thinking, which they can apply on complex problem-solving tasks such as reasoning tests. Therefore, N = 20 healthy young participants with previous programming experience and N = 21 participants without any programming experience performed three reasoning tests: Figural Inductive Reasoning (FIR), Numerical Inductive Reasoning (NIR), Verbal Deductive Reasoning (VDR). Using multi-channel EEG measurements, task-related changes in alpha and theta power as well as brain connectivity were investigated. Group differences were only observed in the FIR task. Programmers showed an improved performance in the FIR task as compared to non-programmers. Additionally, programmers exhibited a more efficient neural processing when solving FIR tasks, as indicated by lower brain activation and brain connectivity especially in easy tasks. Hence, behavioral and neural measures differed between groups only in tasks that are similar to mental processes required during programming, such as pattern recognition and algorithmic thinking by applying complex rules (FIR), rather than in tasks that require more the application of mathematical operations (NIR) or verbal tasks (VDR). Our results provide new evidence for neural efficiency in individuals with higher programming experience in problem-solving tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Helmlinger
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Markus Sommer
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Guilherme Wood
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Martin E Arendasy
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Silvia E Kober
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria.
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Benedek M, Zöhrer L. Creativity on tap 2: Investigating dose effects of alcohol on cognitive control and creative cognition. Conscious Cogn 2020; 83:102972. [PMID: 32526490 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.102972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This preregistered study aimed to replicate and extend research on the role of cognitive control in creative cognition by examining dose effects of alcohol in a randomized controlled trial. A sample of 125 participants was randomly assigned to three experimental groups, either drinking alcoholic beer (BAC = 0.03 or 0.06) or drinking non-alcoholic beer (placebo-control group). Before and after the alcohol intervention, participants completed two tests of cognitive control and two established creative thinking tasks. A BAC of 0.06 led to an impairment of verbal fluency, while working memory performance was unaffected at both alcohol levels. Alcohol had no facilitative or detrimental effects on creative thinking performance, neither in terms of RAT performance, divergent thinking fluency or divergent thinking creativity. These results indicate that moderate alcohol levels have dose-dependent, selective effects on cognitive control, and that minor impairments of cognitive control do not generally increase or attenuate creative thinking performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena Zöhrer
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Austria
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40
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Dual-process contributions to creativity in jazz improvisations: An SPM-EEG study. Neuroimage 2020; 213:116632. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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41
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Matheson HE, Kenett YN. The role of the motor system in generating creative thoughts. Neuroimage 2020; 213:116697. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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42
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When working memory mechanisms compete: Predicting cognitive flexibility versus mental set. Cognition 2020; 201:104313. [PMID: 32442800 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is a hallmark of individuals with higher working memory capacity (WMC). Yet, individuals with higher WMC sometimes demonstrate greater rigidity in problem solving. The present research examines a novel account for these contradictory findings-that different WMC mechanisms support versus constrain cognitive flexibility. Across three studies, participants completed the water jug task-a problem-solving task requiring them to first establish and then break mental set. Predictor measures targeted three WMC mechanisms: attention control, primary memory, and secondary memory. In Study 1, primary and secondary memory predicted breaking mental set in opposite directions. Higher primary memory facilitated breaking mental set, whereas higher secondary memory hindered it. Study 2 demonstrated that attention control moderates these effects. Study 3 replicated these results using a less restrictive sampling procedure (i.e., participants were provided the strategy needed to establish mental set). The present research supports the proposed theory of functional opponency in WMC.
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43
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Wertz CJ, Chohan MO, Flores RA, Jung RE. Neuroanatomy of creative achievement. Neuroimage 2019; 209:116487. [PMID: 31874258 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Very few studies have investigated neuroanatomical correlates of "everyday" creative achievement in cohorts of normal subjects. In previous research, we first showed that scores on the Creative Achievement Questionnaire (CAQ) were associated with lower cortical thickness within the left lateral orbitofrontal gyrus (LOFG), and increased thickness of the right angular gyrus (AG) (Jung et al., 2010). Newer studies found the CAQ to be associated with decreased volume of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and that artistic and scientific creativity was associated with increased and decreased volumes within the executive control network and salience network (Shi et al., 2017). We desired to replicate and extend our previous study in a larger cohort (N = 248), comprised of subjects studying and working in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Subjects were young (Range = 16-32; Mean age = 21.8; s.d. = 3.5) all of whom were administered the CAQ, from which we derived artistic and scientific creativity factors. All subjects underwent structural MRI on a 3 T scanner from which cortical thickness, area, and volume measures were obtained using FreeSurfer. Our results showed mostly cortical thinning in relation to total, scientific, and artistic creative achievement encompassing many regions involved in the cognitive control network (CCN) and default mode network (DMN).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Muhammad O Chohan
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosurgery, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Ranee A Flores
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosurgery, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Rex E Jung
- University of New Mexico, Department of Neurosurgery, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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Duan H, Wang X, Wang Z, Xue W, Kan Y, Hu W, Zhang F. Acute Stress Shapes Creative Cognition in Trait Anxiety. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1517. [PMID: 31440176 PMCID: PMC6694741 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the cognitive mechanism underlying acute stress in creative cognition among individuals with high and low trait anxiety. Specifically, cognitive inhibition was assessed using the flanker task during acute stress. Fifty-two participants (26 with high trait anxiety, 26 with low trait anxiety, with a mean age of 18.94 years) underwent stress induction via the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). They all completed the Alternative Uses Test (AUT) and the Remote Associates Test (RAT) before and after the TSST. Biochemical markers (salivary cortisol and salivary alpha amylase) were recorded at regular intervals. The results showed that cognitive inhibition was influenced by trait anxiety and acute stress. In low-trait anxious individuals after experiencing acute stress, there was a lack of cognitive inhibition and they performed better in AUT (fluency), compared to before experiencing acute stress, whereas high-trait anxious individuals showed a decreased interference effect and reduced performance in AUT (fluency, flexibility, and originality). In the RAT, there were shorter response times and increased accuracy after acute stress in both high- and low-trait anxiety groups. Thus, we suggest that cognitive control, which modulates changes in acute stress, influences creative cognition. These findings provide evidence that inhibition control mediates the effect of stress on the creativity of individuals with different trait anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijun Duan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xuewei Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zijuan Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.,Jinyuan International School, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenlong Xue
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yuecui Kan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Weiping Hu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Towards Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Fengqing Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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45
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Rominger C, Papousek I, Fink A, Perchtold CM, Lackner HK, Weiss EM, Schwerdtfeger AR. Creative challenge: Regular exercising moderates the association between task-related heart rate variability changes and individual differences in originality. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220205. [PMID: 31329653 PMCID: PMC6645545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Coping with mental challenges is vital to everyday functioning. In accordance with prominent theories, the adaptive and flexible adjustment of the organism to daily demands is well expressed in task-related changes of cardiac vagal control. While many mental challenges are associated with increased effort and associated decreased task-related heart rate variability (HRV), some cognitive challenges go along with HRV increases. Especially creativity represents a cognitive process, which not only results from mental effort but also from spontaneous modes of thinking. Critically, creativity and HRV are associated with regular exercising and fitness. Furthermore, the cross-stressor adaptation theory suggests that changes in cardiac reactions to physical challenges may generalize to mental challenges. In line with this idea the amount of regular exercising was hypothesized to moderate the association between HRV changes and creativity. A sample of 97 participants was investigated. They reported the amount of regular exercise and their ECG was measured at baseline and during a creativity task. An association between task-related HRV changes and originality as a function of participants' amount of regular exercise was found. Participants reporting more regular exercising produced more original ideas when they had higher HRV increases during the task, while more sedentary participants showed the opposite association. Results suggest that individuals with a higher amount of regular exercise achieve higher originality probably via the engagement in more spontaneous modes of thinking, while more sedentary people may primarily benefit from increased mental effort. This supports the conclusion that higher creativity can be achieved by different strategies.
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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
| | | | - Helmut K. Lackner
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Section of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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46
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47
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48
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Toward a neurocognitive framework of creative cognition: the role of memory, attention, and cognitive control. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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49
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Manohar SG, Zokaei N, Fallon SJ, Vogels TP, Husain M. Neural mechanisms of attending to items in working memory. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 101:1-12. [PMID: 30922977 PMCID: PMC6525322 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Working memory, the ability to keep recently accessed information available for immediate manipulation, has been proposed to rely on two mechanisms that appear difficult to reconcile: self-sustained neural firing, or the opposite-activity-silent synaptic traces. Here we review and contrast models of these two mechanisms, and then show that both phenomena can co-exist within a unified system in which neurons hold information in both activity and synapses. Rapid plasticity in flexibly-coding neurons allows features to be bound together into objects, with an important emergent property being the focus of attention. One memory item is held by persistent activity in an attended or "focused" state, and is thus remembered better than other items. Other, previously attended items can remain in memory but in the background, encoded in activity-silent synaptic traces. This dual functional architecture provides a unified common mechanism accounting for a diversity of perplexing attention and memory effects that have been hitherto difficult to explain in a single theoretical framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay G Manohar
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom.
| | - Nahid Zokaei
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sean J Fallon
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tim P Vogels
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Masud Husain
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
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50
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Evans WS, Hula WD, Starns JJ. Speed-Accuracy Trade-Offs and Adaptation Deficits in Aphasia: Finding the "Sweet Spot" Between Overly Cautious and Incautious Responding. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2019; 28:259-277. [PMID: 30208413 PMCID: PMC6437701 DOI: 10.1044/2018_ajslp-17-0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Purpose After stroke, how well do people with aphasia (PWA) adapt to the altered functioning of their language system? When completing a language-dependent task, how well do PWA balance speed and accuracy when the goal is to respond both as quickly and accurately as possible? The current work investigates adaptation theory ( Kolk & Heeschen, 1990 ) in the context of speed-accuracy trade-offs in a lexical decision task. PWA were predicted to set less beneficial speed-accuracy trade-offs than matched controls, and at least some PWA were predicted to present with adaptation deficits, with impaired accuracy or response times attributable to speed-accuracy trade-offs. Method The study used the diffusion model ( Ratcliff, 1978 ), a computational model of response time for simple 2-choice tasks. Parameters of the model can be used to distinguish basic processing efficiency from the overall level of caution in setting response thresholds and were used here to characterize speed-accuracy trade-offs in 20 PWA and matched controls during a lexical decision task. Results Models showed that PWA and matched control groups did not differ overall in how they set response thresholds for speed-accuracy trade-offs. However, case series analyses showed that 40% of the PWA group displayed the predicted adaptation deficits, with impaired accuracy or response time performance directly attributable to overly cautious or overly incautious response thresholds. Conclusions Maladaptive speed-accuracy trade-offs appear to be present in some PWA during lexical decision, leading to adaptation deficits in performance. These adaptation deficits are potentially treatable, and clinical implications and next steps for translational research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S. Evans
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, PA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - William D. Hula
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, PA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA
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