Emily Chan
At some point in your life, you must’ve experienced a lightbulb moment when an amazing idea just popped into your head out of nowhere. But what is your brain doing during these brief periods of creativity?
Researchers from the University of Utah Health and Baylor College of Medicine looked into the origin of creative thinking in the brain. They found that different parts of the brain work together to produce creative ideas, not just one particular area.
“Unlike motor function or vision, they’re not dependent on one specific location in the brain,” Ben Shofty, the senior author of the study and an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, said. “There’s not a creativity cortex.”
The team of researchers used a brain imaging technique that is usually meant for identifying seizures in epileptic patients. The method involves placing tiny electrodes directly in the brain. That way, scientists can accurately monitor electrical activity.
The team examined the default mode network (DMN) in the brain. This part of the brain is active when our minds are daydreaming or not focused on a specific task. Shofty believed the DMN might be important to the process of creative thinking.
A total of 13 participants undergoing invasive epilepsy monitoring were asked to engage in two different tasks. The first was a mind-wandering task that included fixating on a shape and verbalizing thoughts. In the second task, they had to think of new uses for everyday objects like cups or chairs.
The researchers observed the brain activity of the participants as they brainstormed. During the brainstorming, the DMN lit up first. It was followed by regions of the brain associated with decision-making and problem-solving.
This indicates that creative ideas originate from the DMN and then undergo evaluation by other parts of the brain.
The team also used the electrodes to temporarily block activity in certain parts of the DMN. Participants came up with less creative ideas after the brain activity was obstructed. There was no change to the other brain functions.
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