Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting the Bilateral IFG Alters Cognitive Processes During Creative Ideation

Overview

Journal NPJ Sci Learn

Specialty Psychology

Date 2024 Dec 5

PMID 39632885

Authors

Cong Xie

Shuangfei Zhang

Xinuo Qiao

Ning Hao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study investigated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) can alter the thinking process and neural basis of creativity. Participants' performance on the compound remote associates (CRA) task was analyzed considering the semantic features of each trial after receiving different tDCS protocols (left cathodal and right anodal, L + R-; right cathodal and left anodal, L-R+; and Sham). Moreover, we constructed and compared 80 prediction models of CRA performance for each group based on task-related functional connectivity. Results showed that L + R- stimulation improved performance in semantically bundled CRA trials, while L-R+ stimulation enhanced performance in trials with greater semantic distance. Furthermore, alpha-band task connectivity models for the L + R- group showed inferior performance and greater left frontal lateralization than other two groups. These findings suggest that tDCS targeting the bilateral IFG alters cognitive processes during creative ideation rather than enhancing or impairing an established thinking process.

References

Fink A, Grabner R, Benedek M, Neubauer A . Divergent thinking training is related to frontal electroencephalogram alpha synchronization. Eur J Neurosci. 2006; 23(8):2241-6. DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04751.x. View

Mazza A, Dal Monte O, Schintu S, Colombo S, Michielli N, Sarasso P . Beyond alpha-band: The neural correlate of creative thinking. Neuropsychologia. 2022; 179:108446. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108446. View

Yang L, Zhang W, Wang W, Yang Z, Wang H, Deng Z . Neural and Psychological Predictors of Cognitive Enhancement and Impairment from Neurostimulation. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2020; 7(4):1902863. PMC: 7029648. DOI: 10.1002/advs.201902863. View

Jargow J, Zwosta K, Korb F, Ruge H, Wolfensteller U . Low-Frequency TMS Results in Condition-Related Dynamic Activation Changes of Stimulated and Contralateral Inferior Parietal Lobule. Front Hum Neurosci. 2021; 15:684367. PMC: 8342925. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.684367. View

Rosen D, Erickson B, Kim Y, Mirman D, Hamilton R, Kounios J . Anodal tDCS to Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Facilitates Performance for Novice Jazz Improvisers but Hinders Experts. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016; 10:579. PMC: 5110534. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00579. View

Vartanian O, Beatty E, Smith I, Blackler K, Lam Q, Forbes S . One-way traffic: The inferior frontal gyrus controls brain activation in the middle temporal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule during divergent thinking. Neuropsychologia. 2018; 118(Pt A):68-78. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.02.024. View

Beaty R, Johnson D . Automating creativity assessment with SemDis: An open platform for computing semantic distance. Behav Res Methods. 2020; 53(2):757-780. PMC: 8062332. DOI: 10.3758/s13428-020-01453-w. View

Mayseless N, Shamay-Tsoory S . Enhancing verbal creativity: modulating creativity by altering the balance between right and left inferior frontal gyrus with tDCS. Neuroscience. 2015; 291:167-76. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.01.061. View

Miller E, Lundqvist M, Bastos A . Working Memory 2.0. Neuron. 2018; 100(2):463-475. PMC: 8112390. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.09.023. View

10.

Bradley M, Lang P . Measuring emotion: the Self-Assessment Manikin and the Semantic Differential. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 1994; 25(1):49-59. DOI: 10.1016/0005-7916(94)90063-9. View

11.

Ye Z, Zhou X . Conflict control during sentence comprehension: fMRI evidence. Neuroimage. 2009; 48(1):280-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.06.032. View

12.

Hertenstein E, Waibel E, Frase L, Riemann D, Feige B, Nitsche M . Modulation of creativity by transcranial direct current stimulation. Brain Stimul. 2019; 12(5):1213-1221. DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2019.06.004. View

13.

Liakakis G, Nickel J, Seitz R . Diversity of the inferior frontal gyrus--a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. Behav Brain Res. 2011; 225(1):341-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.06.022. View

14.

Cabeza R, Albert M, Belleville S, Craik F, Duarte A, Grady C . Maintenance, reserve and compensation: the cognitive neuroscience of healthy ageing. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2018; 19(11):701-710. PMC: 6472256. DOI: 10.1038/s41583-018-0068-2. View

15.

Hart Jr J, Maguire M, Motes M, Mudar R, Chiang H, Womack K . Semantic memory retrieval circuit: role of pre-SMA, caudate, and thalamus. Brain Lang. 2012; 126(1):89-98. DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2012.08.002. View

16.

Bowden E, Jung-Beeman M . Normative data for 144 compound remote associate problems. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput. 2004; 35(4):634-9. DOI: 10.3758/bf03195543. View

17.

Wang Y, Zhang J, Li Y, Qi S, Zhang F, Ball L . Preventing prefrontal dysfunction by tDCS modulates stress-induced creativity impairment in women: an fNIRS study. Cereb Cortex. 2023; 33(20):10528-10545. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad301. View

18.

Rae C, Hughes L, Weaver C, Anderson M, Rowe J . Selection and stopping in voluntary action: a meta-analysis and combined fMRI study. Neuroimage. 2013; 86:381-91. PMC: 3898966. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.10.012. View

19.

Fink A, Benedek M . EEG alpha power and creative ideation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2012; 44:111-23. PMC: 4020761. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.12.002. View

20.

Erickson B, Truelove-Hill M, Oh Y, Anderson J, Zhang F, Kounios J . Resting-state brain oscillations predict trait-like cognitive styles. Neuropsychologia. 2018; 120:1-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.09.014. View