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A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Creative Thinking

September 2024
Psychology of Aesthetics Creativity and the Arts

DOI:10.1037/aca0000704

Authors:

Qunlin Chen

Southwest University

Ke Ding

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

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Creative thinking is a unique higher-order human capacity that leads to novel and appropriate products or ideas. Researchers have increasingly turned to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), employing weak electrical stimulation to augment individual creative performance. Despite these efforts, the field grapples with inconsistent findings, necessitating a comprehensive overview on the effects of tDCS on creative thinking. The current meta-analysis synthesized 32 qualified studies with 125 effect sizes and 1,538 participants. We evaluated the overall effect of anodal and cathodal tDCS protocols separately and conducted in-depth subgroup analyses for anodal tDCS, exploring multiple moderator variables. Random effects model meta-analysis revealed small positive effects of anodal tDCS on creative performance but not for cathodal tDCS. Further analyses of moderator variables uncovered that anodal tDCS led to significant improvements in convergent thinking tasks but did not have a significant impact on divergent thinking tasks and the three common dimensions: fluency, originality, and flexibility. Concerning targeted brain regions, we observed a notable enhancement of creative performance with anodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right inferior frontal gyrus, whereas anodal tDCS over the left inferior frontal gyrus was associated with decreased creative performance. Critically, creative performance in both divergent thinking task and convergent thinking task was enhanced with anodal tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This study presents a comprehensive meta-analysis, illustrating the potential of tDCS protocols in enhancing creative performances. Our findings shed light on the nuanced effects of tDCS, emphasizing the importance of precise targeting and task specificity.

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Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

A Meta-Analysis of the E󰍎ects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

on Creative Thinking

Qunlin Chen, Ke Ding, Zihan Chen, Yingkai Yang, Rongjun Yu, Yoed N. Kenett, and Jiang Qiu

Online First Publication, September 9, 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/aca0000704

CITATION

Chen, Q., Ding, K., Chen, Z., Yang, Y., Yu, R., Kenett, Y. N., & Qiu, J. (2024). A meta-analysis of the e󰍒ects of

transcranial direct current stimulation on creative thinking.. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the

Arts. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/aca0000704

The cognitive and neural bases of creative thought: a cross-domain meta-analysis of transcranial direct current stimulation studies

Preprint

Full-text available

Mar 2025

Creative thought enables humans to flexibly generate, evaluate and select novel and adaptive ideas according to different contexts. Decades of creativity research indicates that it involves at least two aspects: retrieval of previously acquired knowledge and manipulation of that knowledge. However, the cognitive processes underpinning these two aspects of creative thought remain underspecified. The broader clinical-cognitive neuroscience literature suggests that retrieval and manipulation of knowledge is underpinned by general purpose cognitive mechanisms supporting semantic cognition, controlled episodic memory retrieval, and executive mechanisms. To identify commonalities from converging evidence that points towards a unifying theory for the neurocognitive bases of creative thought, we reviewed and meta-analysed 152 studies from creativity and the relevant parallel cognitive neuroscience literature using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The results revealed three things: 1) current tDCS studies are heavily biased towards the frontal cortex (459/591 effect sizes; 77.7%); 2) only anodal tDCS over the left lateral frontal cortex promotes creativity (p <.01); and 3) anodal tDCS stimulation over the same region also promotes improvement in many other cognitive processes. The latter includes more efficient processing of semantic knowledge (p <.05), more accurate episodic memory retrieval (p <.05), better and more efficient manipulation of buffered knowledge (all p <.001), and more efficient response selection amongst competing options (i.e., task-setting; p <.01). By merging these previously separate literatures, tDCS studies support the notion that creative thought arises from general purpose cognitive mechanisms including controlled retrieval and temporary storage of semantic and episodic information, as well as executive mechanisms.

Transcranial direct current stimulation targeting the bilateral IFG alters cognitive processes during creative ideation

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2024

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.

The impact of transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) on alpha coherence and verbal divergent thinking

Article

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Mar 2025

Random noise stimulation (tRNS) applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) enhances fluency and originality in verbal divergent thinking tasks. However, the underlying neural mechanisms of this behavioral change remain unclear. Given that the DLPFC is a key node of the executive control network (ECN) and that creativity is a two-stage process in which the ECN is primarily involved in the final idea selection stage, application of tRNS to this region shall not only result in an increase of originality and flexibility but also in a modulation of EEG activity. To test these assumptions, we collected 256-channel EEG of 40 participants before and after tRNS/sham applied to the DLPFC, during which participants performed two verbal creativity tasks. To assess stimulation-induced connectivity changes and to capture large-scale cortical communication, a source space alpha (8–12 Hz) imaginary coherence was calculated. We found that the tRNS-induced improvements in originality and flexibility were associated with bilateral DLPFC alpha coherence changes. From a large-scale networks perspective, these results suggest that tRNS-induced ECN activity is associated with increased originality and flexibility, potentially by enhancing selectivity in the idea evaluation phase. This study, for the first time, indicates a link between neurophysiological activity and tRNS-induced changes in verbal creativity.

Dynamic switching between brain networks predicts creative ability

Article

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Jan 2025

Creativity is hypothesized to arise from a mental state which balances spontaneous thought and cognitive control, corresponding to functional connectivity between the brain’s Default Mode (DMN) and Executive Control (ECN) Networks. Here, we conduct a large-scale, multi-center examination of this hypothesis. Employing a meta-analytic network neuroscience approach, we analyze resting-state fMRI and creative task performance across 10 independent samples from Austria, Canada, China, Japan, and the United States (N = 2433)—constituting the largest and most ethnically diverse creativity neuroscience study to date. Using time-resolved network analysis, we investigate the relationship between creativity (i.e., divergent thinking ability) and dynamic switching between DMN and ECN. We find that creativity, but not general intelligence, can be reliably predicted by the number of DMN-ECN switches. Importantly, we identify an inverted-U relationship between creativity and the degree of balance between DMN-ECN switching, suggesting that optimal creative performance requires balanced brain network dynamics. Furthermore, an independent task-fMRI validation study (N = 31) demonstrates higher DMN-ECN switching during creative idea generation (compared to a control condition) and replicates the inverted-U relationship. Therefore, we provide robust evidence across multi-center datasets that creativity is tied to the capacity to dynamically switch between brain networks supporting spontaneous and controlled cognition.

Creativity Enhancement: A Primer

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Full-text available

Sep 2024

This handbook is currently in development, with individual articles publishing online in advance of print publication. At this time, we cannot add information about unpublished articles in this handbook, however the table of contents will continue to grow as additional articles pass through the review process and are added to the site. Please note that the online publication date for this handbook is the date that the first article in the title was published online. For more information, please read the site FAQs.

Anodal tDCS over The Right Primary Somatosensory Cortex Increases Cough Reflex Sensitivity: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2023

Background The cough reflex is a protective reflex of the human body. Increases or decreases in cough reflex sensitivity may be related to chronic cough, aspiration pneumonia, and/or other diseases. The right primary somatosensory cortex (RS1) is the main activation center for the urge-to-cough. Here, we discuss the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of RS1 on the cough reflex and urge-to-cough. We also explored the role of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (lDLPFC) in cough using tDCS. Methods Twenty-four healthy young adults completed this pilot randomized controlled crossover experiment. Each person was tested three times receiving, in random order, anodal tDCS of RS1 or lDLPFC or sham stimulation. The current intensity was set to 2 mA, the stimulation time was 30 min, and the interval between any two stimuli was at least one week. After each intervention, using the citric acid cough challenge test immediately assessed urge-to-cough and cough reflex sensitivity. Results The cough reflex thresholds, expressed as LogC 2 and LogC 5 , were significantly reduced after RS1 anodal stimulation compared to sham stimulation, accompanied by increased urge-to-cough sensitivity (Urge-to-cough log-log slope: 1.19±0.40 point·L·g ⁻¹ versus 0.92±0.33 point·L·g ⁻¹ , p=0.001), but the threshold for urge-to-cough did not change significantly. There were no significant changes in the urge-to-cough and cough reflex sensitivity after tDCS anodal lDLPFC stimulation. Conclusion Anodal tDCS stimulation of the RS1 can increase urge-to-cough sensitivity and reduce cough reflex threshold. The effects of tDCS on cough reflex, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving those effects, should be explored further.

Neuromodulation to Enhance Creative Cognition: a Review of New and Emerging Approaches

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We review several new and emerging methods of non-invasive neuromodulation and consider their potential to enhance creative cognition. This review covers the following techniques: transcranial electric stimulation (tES) (which includes transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), and transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS), and neurofeedback training (NFT). For each technique, we explain the basic mechanism of action, review relevant research demonstrating its ability to enhance creative cognition, consider limitations and advantages, and suggest future research directions. Lastly, we offer broader conclusions and recommendations for the field of creativity neuromodulation.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the postcentral gyrus reduces malevolent creative ideation

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2023
SOC COGN AFFECT NEUR

Malevolent creativity (MC) is defined as a manifestation in which people propose to materially, mentally, or physically harm themselves or others in a novel manner. Malevolent creative ideation can be inhibited by high moral emotions (i.e., sympathy, guilt, and shame) and low negative emotions, which promote prosocial behaviors. Given that the right postcentral gyrus (PCG) is involved in generating sympathy and emotional recognition for others, and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) is involved in emotional regulation, we suggest that the right PCG and right MFG may play important roles in malevolent creative ideation. In Study 1, we recruited 98 healthy and right-handed college participants (80 females, age: 21.11 ± 2.00 years) and examined the role of the right PCG in malevolent creative ideation using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The results showed that the accuracy of emotional recognition changed when the right PCG received electrical stimulation. Enhancing activation of the right PCG reduced MC originality and fluency, whereas inhibiting it increased MC originality and fluency. In Study 2, we recruited 91 healthy and right-handed college participants (74 female, age = 21.22 ± 2.28 years) and examined the role of the right MFG in malevolent creative ideation using tDCS. The results showed no significant difference in malevolent creative performance between the pre- and post-test when electrical stimulation was applied over the right MFG. These findings indicate that enhancing the activation of the right PCG, which is closely correlated with emotional recognition, reduces an individual’s malevolent creative ideation.

Comparing transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial random noise stimulation over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left inferior frontal gyrus: Effects on divergent and convergent thinking

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2022
FRONT HUM NEUROSCI

The essential role of creativity has been highlighted in several human knowledge areas. Regarding the neural underpinnings of creativity, there is evidence about the role of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) on divergent thinking (DT) and convergent thinking (CT). Transcranial stimulation studies suggest that the left DLPFC is associated with both DT and CT, whereas left IFG is more related to DT. However, none of the previous studies have targeted both hubs simultaneously and compared transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and random noise stimulation (tRNS). Additionally, given the relationship between cognitive flexibility and creativity, we included it in order to check if the improvement in creativity may be mediated by cognitive flexibility. In this double-blind, between-subjects study, 66 healthy participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups ( N = 22) that received a transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), or sham for 20 min. The tDCS group received 1.5 mA with the anode over the left DLPFC and cathode over the left IFG. Locations in tRNS group were the same and they received 1.5 mA of high frequency tRNS (100–500 Hz). Divergent thinking was assessed before (baseline) and during stimulation with unusual uses (UU) and picture completion (PC) subtests from Torrance Creative thinking Test, whereas convergent thinking was evaluated with the remote association test (RAT). Stroop test was included to assess cognitive flexibility. ANCOVA results of performance under stimulation (controlling for baseline performance) showed that there were significant differences in PC ( F = 3.35, p = 0.042, n p 2 = 0.10) but not in UU ( F = 0.61, p = 0.546) and RAT ( F = 2.65, p = 0.079) scores. Post-hoc analyses showed that tRNS group had significantly higher scores compared to sham ( p = 0.004) in PC. More specifically, tRNS showed higher performance in fluency ( p = 0.012) and originality ( p = 0.021) dimensions of PC compared to sham. Regarding cognitive flexibility, we did not find any significant effect of any of the stimulation groups ( F = 0.34, p = 0.711). Therefore, no further mediation analyses were performed. Finally, the group that received tDCS reported more adverse effects than sham group ( F = 3.46, p = 0.035). Altogether, these results suggest that tRNS may have some advantages over tDCS in DT.

An investigation of the cognitive and neural correlates of semantic memory search related to creative ability

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Jun 2022

Creative ideas likely result from searching and combining semantic memory knowledge, yet the mechanisms acting on memory to yield creative ideas remain unclear. Here, we identified the neurocognitive correlates of semantic search components related to creative abilities. We designed an associative fluency task based on polysemous words and distinguished two search components related to clustering and switching between the different meanings of the polysemous words. Clustering correlated with divergent thinking, while switching correlated with the ability to combine remote associates. Furthermore, switching correlated with semantic memory structure and executive abilities, and was predicted by connectivity between the default, control, and salience neural networks. In contrast, clustering relied on interactions between control, salience, and attentional neural networks. Our results suggest that switching captures interactions between memory structure and control processes guiding the search whereas clustering may capture attentional controlled processes for persistent search, and that alternations between exploratory search and focused attention support creativity. Switching and clustering in semantic memory search in the context of a novel polysemous word association task are related to creativity in terms of cognitive and neural processing.

The neural basis of creative production: A cross-modal ALE meta-analysis

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2021

One of the central questions about the cognitive neuroscience of creativity is the extent to which creativity depends on either domain-specific or domain-general mechanisms. To address this question, we carried out two parallel activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses of creativity: 1) a motoric analysis that combined studies across five domains of creative production (verbalizing, music, movement, writing, and drawing), and 2) an analysis of the standard ideational task used to study divergent thinking, the Alternate Uses task. All experiments contained a contrast between a creative task and a matched non-creative or less-creative task that controlled for the sensorimotor demands of task performance. The activation profiles of the two meta-analyses were non-overlapping, but both pointed to a domain-specific interpretation in which creative production is, at least in part, an enhancement of sensorimotor brain areas involved in non-creative production. The most concordant areas of activation in the motoric meta-analysis were high-level motor areas such as the pre-supplementary motor area and inferior frontal gyrus that interface motor planning and executive control, suggesting a means of uniting domain-specificity and -generality in creative production.

The Process Definition of Creativity

Article

Nov 2023

The “standard” definition of creativity as novel and useful describes creative products, but creativity is constituted by processes. This misalignment contributes to the oft-noted challenges of operationalizing creativity. Here, we distinguish creativity as a process from creativity as an attribute (i.e. “creative-ness”). Operating from a priori premises of creativity theory, we develop a process definition of creativity. Specifically, creativity is defined as internal attention constrained by a generative goal. This definition comprises three criteria: 1) attention is directed internally (toward mental representations); 2) attentional operations (e.g. search, manipulation) are constrained to fit parameters of a to-be-achieved goal state (whether or not a goal is actually achieved); and 3) the goal state is generative (not already precisely held in memory). We illustrate how these three definitional process elements align with insights yielded by creativity neuroscience, clarify ontological distinctions (e.g. from mind-wandering and retrieval), and relate the process definition to process-based models. The process definition provides minimal necessity and sufficiency criteria for whether a process should be considered creativity, but does not exclude the many other perceptual, emotional, etc. elements that can contribute to creativity processes. Researchers should specify whether they are studying creativity-as-process vs. “creative-ness,” and consider including process-focused assessments.

Preventing prefrontal dysfunction by tDCS modulates stress-induced creativity impairment in women: an fNIRS study

Article

Aug 2023
CEREB CORTEX

Stress is a major external factor threatening creative activity. The study explored whether left-lateralized activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex manipulated through transcranial direct current stimulation could alleviate stress-induced impairment in creativity. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to explore the underlying neural mechanisms. Ninety female participants were randomly assigned to three groups that received stress induction with sham stimulation, stress induction with true stimulation (anode over the left and cathode over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), and control manipulation with sham stimulation, respectively. Participants underwent the stress or control task after the transcranial direct current stimulation manipulation, and then completed the Alternative Uses Task to measure creativity. Behavioral results showed that transcranial direct current stimulation reduced stress responses in heart rate and anxiety. The functional near-infrared spectroscopy results revealed that transcranial direct current stimulation alleviated dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex under stress, as evidenced by higher activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and frontopolar cortex, as well as stronger inter-hemispheric and intra-hemispheric functional connectivity within the prefrontal cortex. Further analysis demonstrated that the cortical regulatory effect prevented creativity impairment induced by stress. The findings validated the hemispheric asymmetry hypothesis regarding stress and highlighted the potential for brain stimulation to alleviate stress-related mental disorders and enhance creativity.

Introduction to Meta-Analysis

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Sep 2020

High‐Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Left Frontopolar Cortex Promotes Analogical Reasoning

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Jun 2022

The objective of this study was to measure the contribution of the left frontopolar cortex (FPC) to analogical reasoning. Our measure of analogical reasoning derives from performance on the radiation problem, a creative problem‐solving task first used in Gestalt psychology (Duncker, 1945). Success on this task is as low as 10 % without the presentation of explicit cues that guide inference toward the solution (Gick & Holyoak, 1980). We assessed whether high‐definition transcranial direct current stimulation of the left FPC would promote the analogical transfer of the radiation problem. We found that anodal stimulation primed analogical transfer and led to improved task performance compared to the cathode and sham control groups. Results from this study offer evidence favoring the hypothesis that stimulating the left FPC facilitates analogical problem‐solving. We investigated the role of the left anterior prefrontal cortex in facilitating creative problem‐solving using analogical solutions. We influenced activity in this brain area via transcranial direct current stimulation, a brain stimulation technique applied locally over the frontal lobes. The results from this study support the important role of the left anterior prefrontal cortex in facilitating creative reasoning using analogies.

A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Creative Thinking

Abstract

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