Creativity training and expertise associated with convergent neural signatures of optimal creative performance in 965 participantsBrain scans show specific activity patterns during high creativity in a group of 965 people

A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized data from 33 neuroimaging studies comprising 965 participants to identify neural signatures associated with optimal creative performance. The intervention or exposure encompassed creativity training, domain-specific expertise, trait-level creativity, and positive stimulus conditioning, with no specific comparator group defined in the pooled analysis. The primary outcome assessed convergent neural signatures of optimal creative performance, specifically brain activation patterns.

Participants demonstrating superior creative performance exhibited increased activation in the left middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, and left inferior parietal gyrus. Conversely, decreased activation was observed in the right precuneus. The pooled effect size for these neural differences was Hedges' g = 0.668, with a 95% confidence interval of [0.508, 0.828]. Meta-regression analysis indicated that longer intervention duration and greater professional experience predicted stronger activation in the left superior frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal gyrus. In contrast, age and sex ratio showed no significant effects on these activation patterns.

During convergent thinking tasks, attenuated activation was noted in the left superior frontal gyrus. No adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, or specific tolerability data were reported for the interventions. The study did not report funding sources or conflicts of interest. Key limitations include the observational nature of the neuroimaging data, which precludes definitive causal conclusions regarding the interventions. The practice relevance lies in providing empirical targets for future training and neuromodulation-based interventions aimed at optimizing creative potential.