A New Brain Stimulation Study Just Showed How Creativity Actually Works

A new study shows you can shift your brain into a more creative state — here’s how.

5 min read

Just now

Is creativity a personality trait? Or a brain state?

Let’s talk about it.

A new study crossed my desk this week, published in BMC Psychology, and it offers a clear demonstration that creativity is a measurable brain state.

This study found that stimulating certain brain regions can trigger and even enhance creativity. And you have control over those brain regions.

I’m going to break down the findings of this study and then share some lifestyle-related things you can do to stimulate these parts of your brain to ignite your creative genius 🙂

The study

Researchers from the Qufu Normal University in China applied alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (α-tACS) to the parieto-occipital cortex — the brain region involved in visual processing, internal imagery, and attentional shifting.

Twenty-eight undergraduate participants completed two sessions:

Active stimulation: 10-Hz alpha brain stimulation for 20 minutes.
Sham control: identical…