Right frontal gamma and beta band enhancement while solving a spatial puzzle with insight.
Solving a problem with an "a-ha" effect is known as insight. Unlike incremental problem solving, insight is sudden and unique, and the question about its distinct brain activity, intrigues many researchers. In this study, electroencephalogram signals were recorded from 12 right handed, human participants before (baseline) and while they solved a spatial puzzle known as the '10 coin puzzle' that could be solved incrementally or by insight. Participants responded as soon as they reached a solution and reported whether the process was incremental or by sudden insight. EEG activity was recorded from 19 scalp locations. We found significant differences between insight and incremental solvers in the Gamma and Beta 2 bands in frontal areas (F8) and in the alpha band in right temporal areas (T6). The right-frontal gamma indicates a process of restructuring which leads to an insight solution, in spatial problems, further suggesting a universal role of gamma in restructuring. These results further suggest that solving a spatial puzzle via insight requires exclusive brain areas and neurological-cognitive processes which may be important for meta-cognitive components of insight solutions, including attention and monitoring of the solution.
The Virtual Reality and Neurocognition Lab, Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion City, Haifa 32000, Israel. Electronic address: timasor@gmail.com.
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Rosen
The Virtual Reality and Neurocognition Lab, Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion City, Haifa 32000, Israel.
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Reiner
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001611:Beta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D065818:Gamma Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D065854:Spatial Navigation / Q000502:physiology*
Alpha band; Attention; Beta band; Cognition neural oscillations; EEG; Gamma band; Incremental; Insight; Problem solving; Spatial puzzle