Brain activation pattern and functional connectivity during convergence thinking and chemistry problem solving

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate brain activation pattern and functional connectivity during convergence thinking based creative problem solving and chemistry problem solving to identify characteristic convergence thinking that is backbone of creative problem solving using functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). A fMRI paradaigm inducing convergence thinking and chemistry problem solving was developed and adjusted on 17 highschool students, and brain activation image during task was analyzed. According to the results, superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, precuneus and caudate nucleus body in left hemisphere and cuneus and caudate nucleus body in right hemisphere were significantly activated during convergence thinking. The other hand, middle frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus and caudate nucleus in left hemisphere and middle frontal gyrus, lingual gyrus, caudate nucleus, thalamus and culmen of cerebellum in right hemisphere were significantly activated during chemistry problem solving. As results of analysis functional connectivity, all of areas activated during convergence thinking were functionaly connected, whereas scanty connectivity of chemistry problem solving between right middle frontal gyrus, bilateral nucleus caudate tail and culmen. The results show that logical thinking, working memory, planning, imaging, languge based thinking and learning motivation were induced during convergence thinking and these functions and regions were synchronized intimately. Whereas, logical thinking and inducing learning motivation functioning during chemistry problem solving were not synchronized. These results provide concrete information about convergence thinking.