Prefrontal cortex involvement in creative problem solving in middle adolescence and adulthood

- We studied neural correlates of creative development in adolescents and adults.
- Results show better creative problem solving capacities for adolescents.
- Successful problem solving was associated with increased left latPFC activity.
- Adolescents showed greater activations in bilateral latPFC.
- These findings suggest better exploration capacity in adolescents.

Creative cognition, defined as the generation of new yet appropriate ideas and solutions, serves important adaptive purposes. Here, we tested whether and how middle adolescence, characterized by transformations toward life independency and individuality, is a more profitable phase than adulthood for creative cognition. Behavioral and neural differences for creative problem solving in adolescents (15-17 years) and adults (25-30 years) were measured while performing a matchstick problem task (MPT) in the scanner and the creative ability test (CAT), a visuo-spatial divergent thinking task, outside the scanner. Overall performances were comparable, although MPT performance indicated an advantage for adolescents in creative problem solving. In addition, adolescents showed more activation in lateral prefrontal cortex (ventral and dorsal) during creative problem solving compared to adults. These areas correlated with performances on the MPT and the CAT performance. We discuss that extended prefrontal cortex activation in adolescence is important for exploration and aids in creative cognition.