title: Rostral and caudal prefrontal contribution to creativity: a meta-analysis of functional imaging data.
abstract: Creativity is of central importance for human civilization, yet its neurocognitive bases are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to integrate existing functional imaging data by using the meta-analysis approach. We reviewed 34 functional imaging studies that reported activation foci during tasks assumed to engage creative thinking in healthy adults. A coordinate-based meta-analysis using Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) first showed a set of predominantly left-hemispheric regions shared by the various creativity tasks examined. These regions included the caudal lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), the medial and lateral rostral PFC, and the inferior parietal and posterior temporal cortices. Further analyses showed that tasks involving the combination of remote information (combination tasks) activated more anterior areas of the lateral PFC than tasks involving the free generation of unusual responses (unusual generation tasks), although both types of tasks shared caudal prefrontal areas. In addition, verbal and non-verbal tasks involved the same regions in the left caudal prefrontal, temporal, and parietal areas, but also distinct domain-oriented areas. Taken together, these findings suggest that several frontal and parieto-temporal regions may support cognitive processes shared by diverse creativity tasks, and that some regions may be specialized for distinct types of processes. In particular, the lateral PFC appeared to be organized along a rostro-caudal axis, with rostral regions involved in combining ideas creatively and more posterior regions involved in freely generating novel ideas.
authors: Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors: Gil
authors: G
authors: Gonen-Yaacovi
authors: Leonardo Cruz
authors: LC
authors: de Souza
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Levy
authors: Marika
authors: M
authors: Urbanski
authors: Goulven
authors: G
authors: Josse
authors: Emmanuelle
authors: E
authors: Volle
keywords: creative thinking; creativity; divergent thinking; functional imaging; insight problem solving; meta-analysis; originality; semantic associations
references: Trends Cogn Sci. 2005 Jul;9(7):322-8
references: 15953756
references: Cereb Cortex. 2007 Apr;17(4):826-38
references: 16699079
references: J Neurosci. 2007 Oct 24;27(43):11573-86
references: 17959800
references: Cogn Psychol. 2000 May;40(3):173-97
references: 10790322
references: J Cogn Neurosci. 2009 Oct;21(10):1980-7
references: 18855556
references: Eur Neurol. 2005;54(2):103-11
references: 16195670
references: Methods. 2007 May;42(1):68-76
references: 17434417
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2013 May;34(5):1088-101
references: 22162145
references: Trends Cogn Sci. 2005 Jul;9(7):314-6
references: 15927520
references: Cereb Cortex. 2012 Oct;22(10):2428-40
references: 22095216
references: Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Jun;13(3):402-8; discussion 409-11
references: 17048722
references: Neurocase. 2004 Apr;10(2):175-87
references: 15788255
references: Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2004 Dec;4(4):466-82
references: 15849891
references: Neuron. 2004 Feb 5;41(3):473-87
references: 14766185
references: Brain Res. 2006 Jun 22;1096(1):125-37
references: 16750818
references: Cereb Cortex. 2009 Jul;19(7):1539-48
references: 18980949
references: Neuropsychologia. 2011 Jul;49(8):2246-57
references: 21329712
references: Nat Neurosci. 2003 May;6(5):448-50
references: 12704393
references: Brain Cogn. 2012 Mar;78(2):114-22
references: 22204876
references: Neuroimage. 2011 Jan 1;54(1):577-93
references: 20656040
references: Trends Cogn Sci. 2011 Oct;15(10):453-9
references: 21889391
references: Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014 Jul;44:111-23
references: 23246442
references: Neuroimage. 2012 Jan 16;59(2):1783-94
references: 21854855
references: Neuroimage. 2008 Jun;41(2):535-43
references: 18420426
references: Cereb Cortex. 2008 Oct;18(10):2275-85
references: 18234684
references: Cortex. 2010 Mar;46(3):397-403
references: 19656506
references: Science. 2007 Jan 19;315(5810):393-5
references: 17234951
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2014 Feb;35(2):593-615
references: 23125108
references: Neuroimage. 2005 Jun;26(2):555-64
references: 15907312
references: Nat Neurosci. 2003 Jan;6(1):75-81
references: 12469132
references: J Cogn Neurosci. 2010 May;22(5):837-47
references: 19320546
references: Neuroimage. 2010 Dec;53(4):1359-67
references: 20654722
references: Cereb Cortex. 2009 Dec;19(12):2767-96
references: 19329570
references: Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2013 Apr;8(4):475-80
references: 22349801
references: Neuroimage. 2010 Apr 15;50(3):1313-9
references: 20056157
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2001 Mar;12(3):131-43
references: 11170305
references: Methods. 2007 May;42(1):28-37
references: 17434413
references: Neuroimage. 2012 Feb 1;59(3):2349-61
references: 21963913
references: Psychon Bull Rev. 2004 Dec;11(6):1011-26
references: 15875970
references: Science. 2007 Oct 26;318(5850):594-8
references: 17962551
references: Brain Res. 2010 Jun 25;1342:63-73
references: 20423699
references: Nat Neurosci. 2003 Feb;6(2):115-6
references: 12536210
references: Nature. 1999 May 13;399(6732):148-51
references: 10335843
references: Neuroimage. 2012 Jan 2;59(1):772-80
references: 21782960
references: Brain Res. 2009 Aug 25;1286:94-105
references: 19505444
references: Psychol Rev. 1962 May;69:220-32
references: 14472013
references: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997 Dec 23;94(26):14792-7
references: 9405692
references: Neuroimage. 2002 Aug;16(4):1094-1102
references: 12202096
references: Nat Rev Neurosci. 2007 Sep;8(9):657-61
references: 17700624
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2013 Oct;34(10):2724-32
references: 22522783
references: Trends Cogn Sci. 2007 Jul;11(7):290-8
references: 17548231
references: Psychon Bull Rev. 2003 Sep;10(3):730-7
references: 14620371
references: Neuroimage. 2001 Nov;14(5):1136-49
references: 11697945
references: Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Jun;13(3):396-401
references: 17048721
references: Cereb Cortex. 2005 Aug;15(8):1170-7
references: 15590912
references: Neuropsychologia. 2003;41(3):280-92
references: 12457754
references: J Neurosci. 2010 Dec 15;30(50):16809-17
references: 21159952
references: Neuroimage. 2007 Oct 1;37(4):1237-49
references: 17702605
references: Cereb Cortex. 2007 Oct;17(10):2346-53
references: 17190970
references: Science. 2001 Jul 6;293(5527):51-2
references: 11441167
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 May;30(5):1678-90
references: 18677746
references: Cereb Cortex. 2002 May;12(5):477-85
references: 11950765
references: J Neurophysiol. 2010 Jul;104(1):322-35
references: 20463201
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Mar;30(3):734-48
references: 18266217
references: Behav Neurosci. 2003 Dec;117(6):1161-8
references: 14674837
references: Psychol Sci. 2006 Oct;17(10):882-90
references: 17100789
references: Brain Lang. 2007 Feb;100(2):115-26
references: 16290261
references: J Pers Soc Psychol. 2005 Feb;88(2):263-75
references: 15841858
references: Cereb Cortex. 2008 Oct;18(10):2460-9
references: 18308710
references: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 May 26;106(21):8719-24
references: 19433790
references: Neuropsychologia. 1996 May;34(5):387-98
references: 9148195
references: Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 1987 Sep;6(3):299-309
references: 3318747
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2010 Mar;31(3):398-409
references: 19722171
references: J Cogn Neurosci. 2009 Dec;21(12):2263-75
references: 19199405
references: Cereb Cortex. 2005 Mar;15(3):239-49
references: 15238433
references: Brain. 2005 Dec;128(Pt 12):2882-90
references: 15975944
references: Neuropsychologia. 2007 Oct 1;45(13):2883-901
references: 17675110
references: Neuroimage. 2010 Jun;51(2):578-85
references: 20226253
references: Neuropsychologia. 2012 Jul;50(8):1906-17
references: 22564480
references: Trends Cogn Sci. 2008 May;12(5):193-200
references: 18403252
references: Behav Brain Sci. 2007 Apr;30(2):135-54; discussion 154-87
references: 17655784
references: Neurology. 2003 Feb 25;60(4):587-94
references: 12601097
references: Brain Stimul. 2012 Apr;5(2):110-5
references: 22483547
references: J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1998 Mar-Apr;22(2):324-33
references: 9530404
references: Neuron. 2006 May 18;50(4):531-4
references: 16701204
references: J Cogn Neurosci. 2007 May;19(5):830-42
references: 17488207
references: PLoS Biol. 2004 Apr;2(4):E97
references: 15094802
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2001 Feb;12(2):100-9
references: 11169874
references: Med Hypotheses. 2004;63(1):1-7
references: 15193339
references: PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e34164
references: 22479551
references: J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2012 Mar;38(2):264-72
references: 22103784
references: Trends Neurosci. 2000 Oct;23(10):475-83
references: 11006464
references: Am Psychol. 1950 Sep;5(9):444-54
references: 14771441
references: Proc Biol Sci. 1991 Jun 22;244(1311):241-6
references: 1679944
references: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Jul 6;96(14):8301-6
references: 10393989
references: Neuropsychology. 2000 Jul;14(3):361-9
references: 10928739
references: Neuroimage. 2012 Feb 15;59(4):3212-21
references: 22155328
references: Neuroimage. 2008 May 15;41(1):145-52
references: 18374603
references: Neuropsychology. 2003 Apr;17(2):272-82
references: 12803433
references: Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2005 Sep;25(1):240-50
references: 15993573
references: Science. 1999 Mar 12;283(5408):1657-61
references: 10073923
references: J Neurosci. 2009 Jan 28;29(4):1175-90
references: 19176826
references: Neuroreport. 2010 Feb 17;21(3):191-5
references: 20084035
references: Neuropsychologia. 2011 Jan;49(2):178-85
references: 21126528
references: Brain Res. 2012 Jan 9;1430:52-61
references: 22119187
references: Neuropsychologia. 2000;38(6):873-85
references: 10689061
references: Neuroimage. 2010 May 15;51(1):11-8
references: 20171286
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Sep;30(9):2907-26
references: 19172646
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Mar;30(3):908-16
references: 18344174
references: Neuropsychologia. 2011 Jul;49(8):2185-98
references: 21371485
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2005 May;25(1):22-34
references: 15846824
references: J Neurosci. 2006 Apr 26;26(17):4465-71
references: 16641225
references: Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2005 Aug;24(3):723-6
references: 16099374
references: Neuroscience. 2006 Apr 28;139(1):23-38
references: 16324795
references: Brain Res. 2007 Aug 29;1166:77-91
references: 17655831
references: Cortex. 2007 Jan;43(1):5-21
references: 17334204
references: Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2013 Jun;8(5):556-64
references: 22403155
references: PLoS One. 2011 Feb 02;6(2):e16655
references: 21311746
references: J Neurosci. 2010 Jun 23;30(25):8512-8
references: 20573898
references: J Neurosci. 2011 Mar 30;31(13):4771-9
references: 21451015
references: Trends Cogn Sci. 2003 Sep;7(9):415-423
references: 12963473
references: Br J Psychol. 2012 Aug;103(3):302-16
references: 22804698
references: Cereb Cortex. 2002 Apr;12(4):369-75
references: 11884352
references: Neuron. 2001 Aug 2;31(2):329-38
references: 11502262
references: Neuroreport. 2004 Sep 15;15(13):2013-7
references: 15486473
references: Neuroimage. 2005 Oct 1;27(4):927-33
references: 15979899
references: Science. 2003 Nov 14;302(5648):1181-5
references: 14615530
references: Brain Res. 2008 Oct 3;1233:106-19
references: 18703030
references: Neuroimage. 2007 Nov 15;38(3):519-28
references: 17884587
references: Brain Res. 2012 Oct 30;1482:55-70
references: 22982590
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2012 Jan;33(1):1-13
references: 21305667
references: Neuropsychologia. 1974 Jul;12(3):323-30
references: 4421777
references: J Abnorm Psychol. 1964 Jul;69:84-8
references: 14177069
references: Behav Brain Res. 2010 Dec 25;214(2):143-56
references: 20488210
references: Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2004 Dec;4(4):501-16
references: 15849893
references: Neuroscience. 2006 Apr 28;139(1):85-90
references: 16337091
references: J Cogn Neurosci. 2008 Apr;20(4):682-93
references: 18052787
references: Behav Brain Res. 2011 Jan 20;216(2):626-30
references: 20837067
references: PLoS One. 2008 Feb 27;3(2):e1679
references: 18301756
references: PLoS One. 2010 Mar 22;5(3):e9818
references: 20339554
references: Cereb Cortex. 2005 Jul;15(7):1064-74
references: 15563726
references: Neuropsychologia. 2010 Nov;48(13):3733-42
references: 20868703
references: Cereb Cortex. 2008 Aug;18(8):1923-32
references: 18245044
references: Psychol Bull. 2010 Sep;136(5):822-48
references: 20804237
references: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Mar;1124:1-38
references: 18400922
references: Cereb Cortex. 2010 Mar;20(3):524-33
references: 19549622
references: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Mar;1191:62-88
references: 20392276
references: Neurosci Lett. 2012 May 2;515(2):121-4
references: 22440856
references: Neuroimage. 2010 Oct 1;52(4):1687-95
references: 20561898
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2005 May;25(1):155-64
references: 15846811
references: J Abnorm Psychol. 1964 Nov;69:511-5
references: 14212021
references: Cogn Neuropsychol. 2000 Jul 1;17(5):415-36
references: 20945189
references: Hum Brain Mapp. 2011 Apr;32(4):665-75
references: 20533561
references: Int J Psychophysiol. 2004 Jun;53(1):11-20
references: 15172131
references: Dev Sci. 2009 Jan;12(1):55-66
references: 19120413
references: Neuroimage. 2007 Jul 15;36(4):1387-96
references: 17532648
references: Neuropsychologia. 2009 Sep;47(11):2222-38
references: 19041331
references: J Neurosci. 2007 Dec 26;27(52):14365-74
references: 18160644
references: Neuroimage. 2013 May 1;71:175-86
references: 23333416
references: Brain. 1999 May;122 ( Pt 5):981-91
references: 10355680