Creative experiences and brain clocks.

Carlos Coronel-Oliveros, Joaquin Migeot, Fernando Lehue, Lucia Amoruso, Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska, Natalia Jakubowska, Kanad N Mandke, Joana Pereira Seabra, Patricio Orio, Dominic Campbell, Raul Gonzalez-Gomez, Pavel Prado, Jhosmary Cuadros, Enzo Tagliazucchi, Josephine Cruzat, Agustina Legaz, Vicente Medel, Hernan Hernandez, Sol Fittipaldi, Florencia Altschuler, Sebastian Moguilner, Sandra Baez, Hernando Santamaria-Garcia, Alfredis González-Hernández, Jasmin Bonilla-Santos, Bahar Güntekin, Claudio Babiloni, Daniel Abasolo, Gaetano Di Caterina, Görsev G Yener, Javier Escudero, John Fredy Ochoa-Gómez, Marcio Soto-Añari, Martin A Bruno, Pedro A Valdes-Sosa, Renato Anghinah, Rodrigo A Gonzalez-Montealegre, Ruaridh A Clark, Adolfo M García, Laura Kaltwasser, Martin Schürmann, Jil M Meier, Aneta Brzezicka, Robert Whelan, Brian Lawlor, Ian H Robertson, Christopher Bailey, Lucia Melloni, Nisha Sajnani, Agustin Ibanez

Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Santiago de Chile, Santiaguinos, Chile.Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Santiago de Chile, Santiaguinos, Chile. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Creative experiences may enhance brain health, yet metrics and mechanisms remain elusive. We characterized brain health using brain clocks, which capture deviations from chronological age (i.e., accelerated or delayed brain aging). We combined M/EEG functional connectivity (N = 1,240) with machine learning support vector machines, whole-brain modeling, and Neurosynth metanalyses. From this framework, we reanalyzed previously published datasets of expert and matched non-expert participants in dance, music, visual arts, and video games, along with a pre/post-learning study (N = 232). We found delayed brain age across all domains and scalable effects (expertise>learning). The higher the level of expertise and performance, the greater the delay in brain age. Age-vulnerable brain hubs showed increased connectivity linked to creativity, particularly in areas related to expertise and creative experiences. Neurosynth analysis and computational modeling revealed plasticity-driven increases in brain efficiency and biophysical coupling, in creativity-specific delayed brain aging. Findings indicate a domain‑independent link between creativity and brain health.

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Research summary

Creative experiences can lead to delayed brain aging, suggesting a link between creativity and brain health. The study explores mechanisms of brain aging and health, which are directly relevant to understanding and potentially mitigating aspects of aging.

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