Scientists Find that Only Smart People Think Outside the Box

Working out of the University of New Mexico, Rex Jung and his team are reporting a new correlation between a so-called "creativity chemical" and intelligence. They have found that this chemical, which enhances one's ability to create new and exciting ideas, has a complex relationship with the area of the brain that controls the frontal cortex. Specifically, they claim that the chemical that can enhance creativity only does so in highly intelligent people. Additionally, they found that that same chemical actually lessens creativity in people who are not intelligent.

The frontal cortex (or lobe) of the brain is the part which regulates decision making and problem solving. In addition, it regulates consciousness and emotion. Impulses, judgment, language, memory, and motor function all work out of the frontal cortex, which is why it is one of the most important parts of the brain.

Levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (or NAA) in the brain has long been shown to directly correlate with intelligence. Jung and his team wanted to know if those levels also correlated directly with creativity. They began to study 56 men and women between 18-39. They began by giving them a general intelligence test, which also included their abilities to think outside the proverbial box, then monitored their brains' activities.

What they found was that low levels of NAA in the region of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) correlated with high levels of creativity for those of average intelligence. The real surprise came when they saw that exactly the opposite was true for subjects of IQ greater than 120.

Jung believes that NAA acts as a sort of regulator in the brain. For people of average intelligence, the low levels of NAA act as a sort of deregulator, allowing their minds to roam and seek out new and heretofore unperceived answers to problems. However, with people of high IQ, the low levels of NAA can inhibit their ability to focus. Instead, the higher level of control may help these people hone in on the best possible idea out of the bunch.

Other neuroscientists are in disagreement about what the significance of Jung's study means. While some claim it is more proof that, beyond a certain IQ level, higher brain function is possible, other see the conclusions as solely speculative. One scientist in particular is challenging the neuroscience community to focus on an aspect of creativity that may be most linked to NAA: convergent thinking, or the ability to bring many ideas into focus as one.

Creativity chemical favours the smart, www.newscientist.com