Convergent neural signatures of optimal creative performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Clinical Snapshot
PICO Framework
| P — Population | 965 participants across 33 neuroimaging studies examining creativity |
| I — Intervention | Four enhancement contexts: creativity training, domain-specific expertise, trait-level creativity, and positive stimulus conditioning |
| C — Comparator | Control conditions or baseline creative performance measures |
| O — Outcomes | Brain activation patterns (fMRI/neuroimaging) and behavioral creative performance measures |
Bottom Line
This meta-analysis of 33 neuroimaging studies (n=965) identifies consistent neural signatures of enhanced creative performance across multiple contexts. Superior creativity shows moderate-to-large effects (g=0.668) with convergent activation in left frontal and parietal regions, plus decreased right precuneus activity. The findings suggest specific brain targets for creativity interventions, though clinical applications remain investigational. While the research provides valuable insights into creativity neuroscience, the abstract lacks crucial methodological details about study quality assessment, heterogeneity evaluation, and search strategy. The identified neural patterns offer promising targets for future neuromodulation research, but translation to clinical practice requires further validation studies with appropriate control groups and longer-term outcome measures.
Key Findings
P Value: Not specified in abstract
Effect Size: Hedges' g = 0.668 (moderate to large effect)
Primary Outcome: Brain activation patterns associated with superior creative performance
Nnt Or Sensitivity: Convergent activation in left middle frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, and left inferior parietal gyrus; decreased right precuneus activation
Confidence Interval: 95% CI [0.508, 0.828]
Clinical Application
Requires neuroimaging capabilities and specialized expertise; may inform targeted brain stimulation protocols Relevant for neuroscience research centres and cognitive enhancement programs; potential applications in educational and therapeutic settings under TGA oversight for any neuromodulation devices Individuals seeking creativity enhancement through training, expertise development, or neuromodulation interventions
Abstract
The neural architecture that supports optimal creative performance across diverse contexts remains unclear. To address this question, we conducted a quantitative meta-analysis to identify convergent patterns of brain activation associated with enhanced creativity and to examine their relationships with behavioral improvements. A total of 33 neuroimaging studies involving 965 participants were included, encompassing four enhancement contexts: creativity training, domain-specific expertise, trait-level creativity, and positive stimulus conditioning. Across these contexts, superior creative performance (Hedges' g = 0.668) was consistently characterized by increased activation in the left middle frontal gyrus (LMFG), left superior frontal gyrus (LSFG), and left inferior parietal gyrus (LIPG), together with decreased activation in the right precuneus (95 % CI [0.508, 0.828]). Meta-regression analyses revealed that longer intervention duration and greater professional experience predicted stronger LSFG and LIPG activation, whereas age and sex ratio showed no significant effects. LSFG activation was attenuated during convergent thinking tasks, suggesting task-specific modulation of creative neural circuits. These findings provide systematic evidence for a convergent neural signature of superior creative performance across multiple enhancement pathways, offering empirical targets for future training and neuromodulation-based interventions to optimize creative potential.
References
- 1.Liu, C., Li, L., Wang, K., Qiu, J., & Li, G. (2026). Convergent neural signatures of optimal creative performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. NeuroImage, 121850. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121850
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