Inferior frontal gyrus involvement during search and solution in verbal creative problem solving: A parametric fMRI study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Inferior frontal gyrus involvement during search and solution in verbal creative problem solving: A parametric fMRI study

AU - Becker, Maxi

AU - Sommer, Tobias

AU - Kühn, Simone

N1 - Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/2/1

Y1 - 2020/2/1

N2 - In verbal creative problems like compound remote associates (CRAs), the solution is semantically distant and there is no predefined path to the solution. Therefore, people first search through the space of possible solutions before retrieving the correct semantic content by extending their search space. We assume that search and solution are both part of a semantic control process which involves the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Furthermore, we expect the degree of relevant semantic control areas like the IFG to depend on how much the search space needs to be extended, i.e. how semantically distant the solution is. To demonstrate this, we created a modified CRA paradigm which systematically modulates the semantic distance from the first target word to the solution via priming. We show that brain areas (left IFG and middle temporal gyrus) associated with semantic control are already recruited during search. In addition, BOLD response in the left angular gyrus linearly correlates with search space extension. Hence, there is evidence that this process already takes place during search. Furthermore, bilateral IFG (pars orbitalis and triangularis) also correlates with search space extension but during solution. We discuss the role of the IFG in accessing semantically distant information during verbal creative problem solving.

AB - In verbal creative problems like compound remote associates (CRAs), the solution is semantically distant and there is no predefined path to the solution. Therefore, people first search through the space of possible solutions before retrieving the correct semantic content by extending their search space. We assume that search and solution are both part of a semantic control process which involves the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Furthermore, we expect the degree of relevant semantic control areas like the IFG to depend on how much the search space needs to be extended, i.e. how semantically distant the solution is. To demonstrate this, we created a modified CRA paradigm which systematically modulates the semantic distance from the first target word to the solution via priming. We show that brain areas (left IFG and middle temporal gyrus) associated with semantic control are already recruited during search. In addition, BOLD response in the left angular gyrus linearly correlates with search space extension. Hence, there is evidence that this process already takes place during search. Furthermore, bilateral IFG (pars orbitalis and triangularis) also correlates with search space extension but during solution. We discuss the role of the IFG in accessing semantically distant information during verbal creative problem solving.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Association

KW - Brain Mapping

KW - Creativity

KW - Executive Function/physiology

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

KW - Male

KW - Prefrontal Cortex/diagnostic imaging

KW - Problem Solving/physiology

KW - Psycholinguistics

KW - Semantics

KW - Temporal Lobe/diagnostic imaging

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116294

DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116294

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 31639509

VL - 206

SP - 116294

JO - NEUROIMAGE

JF - NEUROIMAGE

SN - 1053-8119

ER -