A recent study led by Mass General Brigham suggests that creativity is linked to a specific brain circuit rather than a single brain region. Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data from 857 participants across 36 studies, researchers mapped a creativity circuit and found that brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases affecting this circuit can either enhance or reduce creativity. 

The brain operates through interconnected circuits, where different regions work together to control various tasks. Scientists have been studying creativity for years, but past research produced conflicting results about which brain areas are responsible. This study found that while multiple brain regions activate during creative tasks, they all connect to a common brain circuit centered around the right frontal pole. 

Functional MRI is a brain imaging technique that measures blood flow and neural activity in different regions of the brain. By reviewing data from the participants, scientists identified 415 brain coordinates activated by creativity. Although the coordinates differed across studies, 86% were connected to a common brain circuit, indicating a central pathway for creativity. 

Researchers analyzed fMRI scans to observe which brain areas lit up during creative activities like writing, drawing, and music composition. They then compared this data with brain scans of individuals who experienced changes in creativity due to brain injuries or neurodegenerative diseases. The findings revealed a strong connection between damage to the creativity circuit and shifts in creative ability. 

Researchers also found that damage to the creativity circuit can either boost or reduce creativity, depending on where the injury occurs. Some people with frontotemporal dementia develop unexpected artistic abilities, while others lose creativity due to different neurological conditions. Understanding this process could help scientists develop brain stimulation therapies to enhance creativity in patients recovering from brain injuries. 

One of the study’s most interesting findings is that the right frontal pole, a part of the brain responsible for self-monitoring and following rules, is negatively connected to creativity. This means that when activity in this area decreases, people may become more creative because they are less likely to overthink or censor their ideas. 

According to Dr. Isaiah Kletenik, one of the study’s authors, “To be creative, you may have to turn off your inner critic to allow yourself to find new directions and even make mistakes.” This suggests that creativity may depend on inhibiting certain brain functions that usually control behavior, enabling greater flexibility and idea generation. 

Although this study provides strong evidence for a brain circuit linked to creativity, researchers emphasize that creativity is complex and influenced by multiple factors. Dr. Michael Fox, a senior author of the study, noted that while this circuit is important, “many different parts of the brain are involved in completing different creative tasks.” 

As scientists continue to explore how the brain supports artistic expression and problem-solving, this research offers a new way to understand creativity—not as a function of a single brain region, but as a network of connected areas working together. These discoveries not only help explain why some neurological conditions lead to unexpected bursts of creativity, but also open the door for potential treatments to enhance creative thinking in the future.