Common Neural Activations of Creativity and Exploration: A Meta-analysis of Task-based fMRI Studies

Creativity is a common, complex, and multifaceted cognitive activity with significant implications for technological progress, social development, and human survival. Understanding the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying creative thought is essential for fostering individual creativity. While previous studies have demonstrated that exploratory behavior positively influences creative performance, few studies investigated the relationship between creativity and exploration at the neural level. To address this gap, we conducted a quantitative meta-analysis comprising 80 creativity experiments (1850 subjects) and 23 exploration experiments (646 subjects) to examine potential shared neural activations between creativity and exploration. Furthermore, we analyzed the neural similarities and differences among three forms of creative thinking—divergent thinking (DT), convergent thinking (CT), and artistic creativity—and their relationship with exploration. The conjunction analysis of creativity and exploration revealed significant activations in the bilateral IFJ and left preSMA. Further conjunction analyses revealed that both CT and artistic creativity exhibited common neural activations with exploration, with CT co-activating the left IFJ and artistic creativity co-activating both the right IFJ and left preSMA, while DT did not. Additionally, the conjunction analyses across the three forms of creativity did not identify shared neural activations. Further functional decoding analyses of the overlapping brain regions associated with CT and exploration, as well as artistic creativity and exploration, revealed correlations with inhibitory control mechanisms. These results enhance our understanding of the role of exploration in the creative thinking process and provide valuable insights for developing strategies to foster innovative thinking.