Where do bright ideas occur in our brain? Meta-analytic evidence from neuroimaging studies of domain-specific creativity

Many studies have assessed the neural underpinnings of creativity, failing to find a clear anatomical localization. We aimed to provide evidence for a multi-componential neural system for creativity. We applied a general activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis to 45 fMRI studies. Three individual ALE analyses were performed to assess creativity in different cognitive domains (Musical, Verbal, and Visuo-spatial). The general ALE revealed that creativity relies on clusters of activations in the bilateral occipital, parietal, frontal, and temporal lobes. The individual ALE revealed different maximal activation in different domains. Musical creativity yields activations in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, in the left cingulate gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, and inferior parietal lobule and in the right postcentral and fusiform gyri. Verbal creativity yields activations mainly located in the left hemisphere, in the prefrontal cortex, middle and superior temporal gyri, inferior parietal lobule, postcentral and supramarginal gyri, middle occipital gyrus, and insula. The right inferior frontal gyrus and the lingual gyrus were also activated. Visuo-spatial creativity activates the right middle and inferior frontal gyri, the bilateral thalamus and the left precentral gyrus. This evidence suggests that creativity relies on multi-componential neural networks and that different creativity domains depend on different brain regions

Deep Brain Stimulation of Nucleus Accumbens Region in Alcoholism Affects Reward Processing

The influence of bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus nucleus (NAcc) on the processing of reward in a gambling paradigm was investigated using H2[15O]-PET (positron emission tomography) in a 38-year-old man treated for severe alcohol addiction. Behavioral data analysis revealed a less risky, more careful choice behavior under active DBS compared to DBS switched off. PET showed win- and loss-related activations in the paracingulate cortex, temporal poles, precuneus and hippocampus under active DBS, brain areas that have been implicated in action monitoring and behavioral control. Except for the temporal pole these activations were not seen when DBS was deactivated. These findings suggest that DBS of the NAcc may act partially by improving behavioral control

The Active Bayesian Brain and the Rorschach Task

The Rorschach offers a unique and interesting paradigm from the perspective of the (Bayesian) brain. This contribution to the cross-disciplinary special issue considers the Rorschach from the perspective of perceptual inference in the brain and how it might inform subject-specific differences in perceptual synthesis. Before doing so, we provide a broad overview of active inference in its various manifestations. In brief, active inference supposes that our perceptions are the best hypothesis to explain sensory impressions. On a Bayesian account, the requisite belief updating rests sensitively upon the precision or confidence ascribed to sensory input, relative to prior beliefs about the causes of sensations. This focus - on the balance between sensory and prior precision - has been a useful construct in both cognitive science (e.g., as a formal explanation for attention) and neuropsychology (e.g., as a formal explanation for aberrant or false inference in hallucinations). In this setting, false inference is generally understood as abnormally high precision afforded to high-level hypotheses or explanations for visual input, which may compensate for a failure to attenuate sensory precision. On this view, the Rorschach offers an interesting paradigm because the amount of precise information about the causes of visual input is deliberately minimized - and rendered ambiguous - thereby placing greater emphasis on prior beliefs entertained by the respondent. We close by exploring this issue and several other areas of intersection between Rorschach responding and active inference

Aportes a la fiabilidad y validez del test de Rorschach: teoría de respuesta al item, neurociencias y psicopatología

[ES] El test de Rorschach cumple 100 años el próximo 2021. En todo este tiempo se ha convertido en un test de referencia en el ámbito clínico, y ha sido objeto de cuestionamientos y numerosas investigaciones. Se han desarrollado también numerosos métodos de aplicación, codificación e interpretación del mismo. La presente tesis aborda la temática de la validez y fiabilidad del test desde campos muy poco trabajados desde la literatura previa: las neurociencias, la Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem y los modelos psicopatológicos dimensionales. En lo que respecta a las neurociencias, se abordan las relaciones del Rorschach con aspectos neuroanatómicos y neurofisiológicos, con modelos psicobiológicos de la personalidad y con el funcionamiento cognitivo en general, y ejecutivo en particular. Se hallaron relaciones entre variables del Rorschach y: volúmenes de determinadas áreas cerebrales, patrones de activación cerebral, niveles de serotonina, rendimientos cognitivos, rasgos de personalidad de los modelos psicobiológicos de Zuckerman y Cloninger (utilizando el ZKPQ-50-CC y el TCI-140), y funcionamiento ejecutivo evaluado a través del DEX-Sp y el FAB. Respecto a la Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem, se aplica un modelo de respuesta continua, mostrándose diversos grados de ajuste en distintas variables del test, desde ajustes deficientes a muy buenos. En lo que respecta a los modelos psicopatológicos dimensionales, se hallan relaciones entre las variables del test y las del modelo de 9 dimensiones propuesto por Derogatis, evaluadas en este caso mediante el SA-45. A la luz de dichos resultados, se sostiene que es posible y necesaria una revisión del concepto de validez de constructo del test, enfocado hacia una concepción neurocognitiva, integrando modelos dimensionales de personalidad y psicopatológicos. Es posible también, con ajustes y salvedades que serán necesarias, aplicar modelos de Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem que optimicen las propiedades psicométricas y las posibilidades de desarrollo de nuevas herramientas