title: Neural activity when people solve verbal problems with insight.
abstract: People sometimes solve problems with a unique process called insight, accompanied by an "Aha!" experience. It has long been unclear whether different cognitive and neural processes lead to insight versus noninsight solutions, or if solutions differ only in subsequent subjective feeling. Recent behavioral studies indicate distinct patterns of performance and suggest differential hemispheric involvement for insight and noninsight solutions. Subjects solved verbal problems, and after each correct solution indicated whether they solved with or without insight. We observed two objective neural correlates of insight. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (Experiment 1) revealed increased activity in the right hemisphere anterior superior temporal gyrus for insight relative to noninsight solutions. The same region was active during initial solving efforts. Scalp electroencephalogram recordings (Experiment 2) revealed a sudden burst of high-frequency (gamma-band) neural activity in the same area beginning 0.3 s prior to insight solutions. This right anterior temporal area is associated with making connections across distantly related information during comprehension. Although all problem solving relies on a largely shared cortical network, the sudden flash of insight occurs when solvers engage distinct neural and cognitive processes that allow them to see connections that previously eluded them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA. mjungbee@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jung-Beeman
authors.forename: Edward M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haberman
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Frymiare
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arambel-Liu
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greenblatt
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Reber
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kounios
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D003071:Cognition; D003210:Concept Formation; D003405:Creativity; D003657:Decision Making; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009043:Motor Activity; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011340:Problem Solving; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology