Neurophysiological basis of creativity in healthy elderly people : a multiple entropy approach

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25461754
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Ueno Kanji 福井大学, 医学部, 助教 (50600152)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAHASHI Tetsuya 金沢大学, 子どものこころの発達研究センター, 特任准教授 (00377459)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MIZUKAMI Kimiko 仁愛大学, 人間学部, 准教授 (00387408)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 創造性 / 脳機能 / 高齢者 / 非線形解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Creativity, which presumably involves various connections within and across different neural networks, reportedly underpins the mental well-being of older adults. We sought to clarify the neurophysiological bases of creativity in healthy elderly subjects by assessing EEG complexity with MSE, with emphasis on assessment of neural networks.
We recorded resting state EEG of 20 healthy elderly subjects. MSE was calculated for each subject for continuous 20-s epochs. Their relevance to individual creativity was examined concurrently with intellectual function.
Higher individual creativity was linked closely to increased EEG complexity across higher temporal scales, but no significant relation was found with intellectual function (IQ score). Considering the general 'loss of complexity' theory of aging, our finding of increased EEG complexity in elderly people with heightened creativity supports the idea that creativity is associated with activated neural networks.

Free Research Field

脳波解析