Neuromodulating attention and mind-wandering processes with a single session real time EEG

Our minds are continuously alternating between external attention (EA) and mind wandering (MW). An appropriate balance between EA and MW is important for promoting efficient perceptual processing, executive functioning, decision-making, auto-biographical memory, and creativity. There is evidence that EA processes are associated with increased activity in high-frequency EEG bands (e.g., SMR), contrasting with the dominance of low-frequency bands during MW (e.g., Theta). The aim of the present study was to test the effects of two distinct single session real-time EEG (rtEEG) protocols (SMR up-training/Theta down-training-SMR⇑Theta⇓; Theta up-training/SMR down-training-Theta⇑SMR⇓) on EA and MW processes. Thirty healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two rtEEG training protocols (SMR⇑Theta⇓; Theta⇑SMR⇓). Before and after the rtEEG training, participants completed the attention network task (ANT) along with several MW measures. Both training protocols were effective in increasing SMR (SMR⇑Theta⇓) and theta (Theta⇑SMR⇓) amplitudes but not in decreasing the amplitude of down-trained bands. There were no significant effects of the rtEEG training in either EA or MW measures. However, there was a significant positive correlation between post-training SMR increases and the use of deliberate MW (rather than spontaneous) strategies. Additionally, for the Theta⇑SMR⇓ protocol, increase in post-training Theta amplitude was significantly associated with a decreased efficiency in the orientation network.Óscar F. Gonçalves was funded by the Brazilian National Counsel for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) as a special visiting researcher (Grant 401143/2014-7). This study was partially conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (UID/ PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 (Grant POCI-01- 0145-FEDER-007653). Paulo S. Boggio is a CNPq researcher fellow (Grant 311641/2015-6). SC is funded through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (IF/00091/2015). JL is funded through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/ MHC-PCN/3950/2014).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Thought Dynamics: Which Role for Mind Wandering in Creativity?

2For a long time, mainstream psychological research on cognitive pro- cesses has been focused on the investigation of externally-oriented cognition, namely deliberate processes generated in response to cues provided by the experi- menter and associated with specific experimental paradigms. During the last two decades, there has been a surge of interest in both psychology and neuroscience toward the investigation of internally-oriented cognition, and, among the different kinds, a growing interest has been devoted to mind wandering (MW), which repre- sents a shift in the contents of thought away from an ongoing task and/or from events in the external environment, toward internal mental contents. By definition, MW is characterized by a flow of thought, and it occurs without a fixed course or a drive to reach a specific goal. Creative thinking also involves dynamic shifts between different information and mental states. Does mind wandering contribute to creativ- ity? Here we briefly review mixed findings on the association between MW and creativity and we outline a new multidimensional dynamic approach, in which the associations between different kinds of MW (i.e. spontaneous and deliberate) and different forms of creativity are considered. Practical implications of this approach are discussed.reservedmixedManila Vannucci; Sergio AgnoliVannucci, Manila; Agnoli, Sergi