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Scientific Commentary |
Capturing creativity
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Creativity is a mental journey between ideas or concepts that involves either a novel route or a novel destination. Many underlying causes have been suggested, including divine intervention and serendipity, but an adequate account must consider its neurobiological bases (Zeki, 2001
). Brain theories of creativity might be divided in the broadest terms into global theories (based on universal aspects of brain function or universal influences on it) and local theories that emphasize certain components. Links between creativity and intelligence (Hofstadter, 1995; Sternberg, 2001), transmitter function (Beversdorf et al., 1999; Schrag and Trimble, 2001) or mood (Ludwig, 1994) all arguably reflect global mechanisms. In terms of local theories, there is ongoing debate about the relative
Cognitive Neurology Clinic, Newcastle General Hospital