Creativity is the capacity to develop order through associations not previously recognized. The anatomy of creativity is that pattern of activation and suppression of communication pathways within the brain that allows for the emergence of novel thought. Ingredients for creative innovation include divergent thinking---the ability to see things differently in a way that improves upon convention---along with a sizable intellect, a specialized knowledge base and a skill set specific for the task.
Creativity and the Right Brain
One of the most celebrated creative minds in history was Albert Einstein, who at the age of 3 was still not able to speak. This delay indicates a lag in the development of his left brain, where most of our language centers are located. As an adult, Einstein attributed his tremendous capacity for creative thought to a reliance on spatial reasoning, a specialized function of the right brain. Einstein's superior spatial processing ability developed, it is theorized, either to make up for lack of function or because of absence of competitive inhibition from his left brain. A similar effect has also been noted in some adults following left frontotemporal lobe trauma, whereby artistic expression emerges that did not exist previously.
Creativity and the Left Brain
Einstein's left brain was not his greatest creative asset. More significant were his left and right parietal lobes, which were 15 percent larger than average. Additionally, these areas, which serve as processing and association centers, lacked certain partitions found in most brains, resulting in even closer associations of those neurons and a greater degree of communication. Interestingly, his left frontal lobe was relatively normal.
The Connectedness of Creativity
Better intra-brain connections lead to a higher frequency of unique thought patterns. Glial cells, which are part of the support structure of the brain, do not transmit neuronal messages; rather, they maintain and enhance neural pathways, promoting communication. In Einstein's brain, as an example, the ratio of glial cells to neurons was higher than normal, with the highest concentration being in the left parietal lobe.
Another important area of connectivity is the corpus callosum, which bridges the left and right hemispheres. This area is larger in right-brain-dominant individuals, those generally acknowledged as highly creative. Einstein's corpus callosum, incidentally, was of normal proportions.
Creative vs. Methodical Problem Solvers
When we solve problems creatively vs. methodically, there is high activity of the right hemisphere. Individuals who are characteristically creative have more right brain activity at all times, including at rest. Alpha and beta brain waves during creative thought processes show a pattern of decreased visual focus, favoring a more diffuse, "zoomed-out," or big-picture attention to visual stimuli. This is consistent with the observation that creative individuals have low latent inhibition, the ability to selectively screen stimuli.
The Chemistry of Creativity
The neurochemical component of creativity points to a requirement for decreased levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. This would coincide with low levels of arousal such as right before or during sleep. It is observed that many creative thinkers have their best insights at these times, when lower focus allows for a broader spectrum of sensory processing. Depressed states are also characterized by low norepinephrine. Many highly gifted depression-prone individuals generate creative solutions to problems in their personal or professional lives during these states.
