Creativity and the brain: Uncovering the neural signature of conceptual expansion

Neurophysiological studies of creativity thus far have not allowed for clear conclusions to be made regarding the specific neural underpinnings of such complex cognition due to overgeneralizations concerning the creativity construct, heterogeneity in the type of creativity tasks used, and the questionable efficacy of the employed comparison tasks. A novel experimental design was developed in the present fMRI study which rendered it possible to investigate a critical facet of creative cognition – that of conceptual expansion – as distinct from general divergent thinking, working memory, or cognitive load. Brain regions involved in the retention, retrieval and integration of conceptual knowledge such as the anterior inferior frontal gyrus, the temporal poles and the lateral frontopolar cortex were found to be selectively involved during conceptual expansion. The findings go against generic ideas that argue for the dominance of the right hemisphere during creative thinking and indicate the necessity to reconsider the functions of regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex to include more abstract facets of cognitive control. This study represents a new direction in the investigation of creativity in that it highlights the necessity to adopt a process based perspective in which the multifaceted nature of creativity can be truly grasped. ► A novel paradigm was developed to study creative conceptual expansion using fMRI. ► Methodological problems associated with neuroimaging of creativity were overcome. ► Examined creative vs. general divergent thinking, working memory and cognitive load. ► IFG, temporal pole and frontopolar regions active for creative conceptual expansion. ► Regions implicated in retention, retrieval and integration of conceptual knowledge.