Neuroscience of Creativity

What is creativity?

Creativity is the courage and willingness to connect words, things, and other entities that “normally” or in a common sense do not belong together.

Where is creativity useful and needed?

Creativity is recommended in relationships, problem-solving processes, the design of fashion or machines, and advertising.

What brain areas are involved in creative processes?

The Limbic System – faster than any other region in the brain

Imaging and imagination are created in the limbic system. Emotions like joy and fascination (as well as anger and fear) are associated with the limbic system. Positive emotions are crucial for the creative process. The positive emotions can outperform critical considerations that come from the prefrontal cortex.

The prefrontal cortex within the frontal lobes

The prefrontal cortex is crucial for functions like attention, divergent thinking, working memory, and executive functions. Generating a choice of multiple answers to a given problem is accompanied by thinking abstractly and managing the evaluation and selection of generated ideas.

Temporal Lobes for new connections between formerly unrelated entities.

The temporal lobes are involved in processing semantic memory, which helps make novel associations between unrelated concepts or entities. This is a core aspect of creativity.

Parietal Lobes

These regions contribute to spatial and visual cognition. This is essential for transforming and manipulating images and ideas in the mind. This ability is especially important in artistic creativity where visual-spatial skills are paramount.

Cerebellum

Recent studies suggest that the cerebellum, traditionally associated with motor control, also contributes to creativity by fine-tuning thoughts and ideas, similar to how it refines physical movements.

Corpus Callosum

This large bundle of nerve fibers connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain. A well-integrated corpus callosum facilitates better communication between hemispheres, which is vital for creative thought as it often requires the integration of logical (typically left-hemisphere dominant) and intuitive (typically right-hemisphere dominant) thinking.

Default Mode Network (DMN)

The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a group of interconnected brain regions that are most active when the mind is wandering or a person is daydreaming. It’s also called the “internal mind” because it’s linked to self-referential thinking, like reflecting on memories or planning for the future.

The mind wandering might be essential for the core function of creativity: Putting entities and concepts together that where not meant to connect formerly.

What brain states avoid creativity?

Brain states like stress, anger, grief do not contribute to creativity.