Large-scale brain network associated with creative insight: combined voxel-based morphometry and resting-state functional connectivity analyses.

Takeshi Ogawa,Takeaki Shimokawa,Takatsugu Aihara,Okito Yamashita

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-24981-0

Takeshi Ogawa, Takeaki Shimokawa + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24981-0

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Abstract

Creative insight occurs with an “Aha!” experience when solving a difficult problem. Here, we investigated large-scale networks associated with insight problem solving. We recruited 232 healthy participants aged 21–69 years old. Participants completed a magnetic resonance imaging study (MRI; structural imaging and a 10 min resting-state functional MRI) and an insight test battery (ITB) consisting of written questionnaires (matchstick arithmetic task, remote associates test, and insight problem solving task). To identify the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) associated with individual creative insight, we conducted an exploratory voxel-based morphometry (VBM)-constrained RSFC analysis. We identified positive correlations between ITB score and grey matter volume (GMV) in the right insula and middle cingulate cortex/precuneus, and a negative correlation between ITB score and GMV in the left cerebellum crus 1 and right supplementary motor area. We applied seed-based RSFC analysis to whole brain voxels using the seeds obtained from the VBM and identified insight-positive/negative connections, i.e. a positive/negative correlation between the ITB score and individual RSFCs between two brain regions. Insight-specific connections included motor-related regions whereas creative-common connections included a default mode network. Our results indicate that creative insight requires a coupling of multiple networks, such as the default mode, semantic and cerebral-cerebellum networks.

Highlights

Creativity is a crucial cognitive function to achieve innovation and civilised daily living
There were no correlations with the IP scores that were common to MA and RAT scores, but the MA score was associated with spatial insight problems
We investigated the association between grey matter volume (GMV) and the insight test battery (ITB) score after controlling for age, sex, magnetic resonance imaging study (MRI) scanner (Trio/other, Prisma/other), cohort and the total brain volume (TBV: sum of GMV and white matter volume) of individual brains using multiple linear regression analysis in SPM12 (Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, London, UK; www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/)

Summary

Introduction

Creativity is a crucial cognitive function to achieve innovation and civilised daily living. In the large-scale brain network, the function of the default mode network (DMN) represents individual performance correlated with working memory tasks[7] and financial decision-making tasks[16] Both morphological[6,17,18,19] and functional[4,7,20,21] imaging studies have indicated that the precuneus, a hub of the DMN, is engaged in divergent thinking. EEG alpha/gamma band activity increased (predominantly in the right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/superior temporal gyrus (STG)) just before insight solution Using another approach to investigate the neural mechanisms of insight problem solving, Chi and Snyder used transcranial direct current stimulation to facilitate behavioural performance of MA15. Previous neuroimaging and brain stimulation findings have demonstrated correlational and causal relationships between insight solution and specific brain areas, a large-scale network underlying insight-specific processes has not been investigated

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