Researchers reveal new findings in neurological origins of creativity

SALT LAKE CITY — A team of researchers has been studying how the parts of the brain work together to yield creativity. 

A press release from the University of Utah said the researchers have been using brain imaging technology. They have been working to examine the roles different areas play in creativity.

A University of Utah researcher is leading the team. The study is taking place at the Baylor College of Medicine. 

The study found that “there’s evidence that creativity is a distinct brain function.” Additionally, brain injuries have been proven to cause changes in creativity. 

Why are functions such as creativity hard to study?

According to Ben Shofty, the senior author of the study, cognitive processes like creativity are difficult to study because they do not occur in a single part of the brain. 

During the research, participants were connected to electrodes for monitoring. Per the press release, the participants were already connected to them for seizure monitoring. 

Participants were given a creative task, such as considering uses for a chair, and researchers recorded which parts of their brains activated. 

The press release said the first parts of the brain to light up were the functions that happen unprompted, without mental tasks.

Those areas are referred to as the default mode network. They are spread out across the brain’s regions. According to the press release, their widespread locations make them difficult to track. 

Then, areas of the brain that are associated with problem-solving and decision-making lit up. 

According to Shofty, that could suggest that creativity originates in the default mode network before transitioning to other reasons. 

Creative networks

The research team was also able to determine that there are parts of the brain’s network are required. Some of the electrodes were used to dampen certain signals within the default mode network. 

When asked to complete the creative task, the press release said that participants came up with less creative answers when the signals were dampened. However, other brain functions remained normal. 

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