Creativity Is Enhanced by Long-Term Mindfulness Training and Is Negatively Correlated with Trait Default-Mode-Related Low-Gamma Inter-Hemispheric Connectivity

Abstract

It is becoming increasingly accepted that creative performance, especially divergent thinking, may depend on reduced activity within the default mode network (DMN), related to mind-wandering and autobiographic selfreferential processing. However, the relationship between trait (resting-state) DMN activity and divergent thinking is controversial. Here, we test the relationship between resting-state DMN activity and divergent thinking in a group of mindfulness meditation practitioners. We build on our two previous reports, which have shown DMN activity to be related to resting-state log gamma (25-45 Hz) power and interhemispheric functional connectivity. Using the same cohort of participants (three mindfulness groups with increasing expertise, and controls, n = 12 each), we tested (1) divergent thinking scores (Flexibility and Fluency) using the Alternative Uses task and (2) correlation between Alternative Uses scores and DMN activity as measured by resting-state gamma power and inter-hemispheric functional connectivity. We found that both Fluency and Flexibility (1) were higher in the two long-term mindfulness groups (>1000 h) compared to short-term mindfulness practitioners and control participants and (2) negatively correlated with gamma inter-hemispheric functional connectivity (frontalmidline and posterior-midline connections). In addition, (3) Fluency was significantly correlated with mindfulness expertise. Together, these results show that long-term mindfulness meditators exhibit higher divergent thinking scores in correlation with their expertise and demonstrate a negative divergent thinking-resting-state DMN activity relationship, thus largely support a negative DMN-creativity connection.

Does Religion Hinder Creativity? A National Level Study on the Roles of Religiosity and Different Denominations

“…Asceticism advocated by Buddhism devalues materialism and productivity growth ( Westwood and Low, 2003 ). This may counteract the positive effects of Buddhist practice such as mindfulness ( Berkovich-Ohana et al, 2017 ) and meditation ( Colzato et al, 2012 ; Ding et al, 2014 ) on creativity. However, the effects of Buddhism on creativity need deep investigations in future studies.…”

“…On one hand, Buddhism may “de-emphasize materialism and encourage acceptance and quietude” ( Westwood and Low, 2003 , p. 242), suggesting that Buddhism does not encourage change and innovation. On the other hand, Buddhism emphasizes impermanence and recommends its adherents to engage in mindfulness and meditation practice, which can improve creativity ( Colzato et al, 2012 ; Ding et al, 2014 ; Berkovich-Ohana et al, 2017 ). These effects of Buddhism may operate in the opposite directions, leading us to hypothesize that there is no relationship between Buddhism culture and national creativity ( Hypothesis 2d ).…”

Psychedelics, Meditation, and Self-Consciousness

“…Common styles of meditation include focused attention meditation (FA)—which requires sustaining one's attention on a particular object or sensation such as the breath—, open monitoring meditation (OM)—which involves a non-judgmental, non-selective awareness of the present moment—, loving-kindness and compassion meditation (LK)—which involves the cultivation of compassion toward oneself and others—, and mantra recitation (MR)—which involves the repetition of a sound, word or sentence (see Box 1). The subjective effects of meditation are multifaceted, including enhanced attention and sensory processing (Brown, 1977 ; Jha et al, 2007 ), largely positive emotions and mood (Ortner et al, 2007 ; Davidson and Lutz, 2008 ; Lutz et al, 2008 ), increased cognitive flexibility and creativity (Horan, 2009 ; Capurso et al, 2014 ; Ding et al, 2014 ; Berkovich-Ohana et al, 2017 ), and, in some cases (usually with increasing expertise) dramatic disruptions of one's sense of self (Austin, 2006 ; Dorjee, 2016 ; Berkovich-Ohana and Wittmann, 2017 ).…”

Biological mechanism study of meditation and its application in mental disorders

“… 10 FA 13 can promote positive changes in the key neural signals (frontal theta inter-trial coherence and parietal P3b latency) of attention networks. Furthermore, meditation also attenuates activity of the default mode network (DMN), 14 with dysfunction of the DMN subsystem in the anterior (medial prefrontal cortex) and posterior (cingulate cortex) following a larger number of long-term meditations. 15 16 Our study 17 observed reduced DMN activity in monks following persistent meditation practice and reconstruction of the large-scale network of EEG gamma waves as well as theta waves by meditation.…”