Enhanced creative thinking performance: the role of alpha frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation in the parieto-occipital region

作者：Runze Zhou, Jinqian Wang, Xiaotong Man, Xinying Huang, An’ning Zhan, Chunlei Liu, Jiaqin Yang · 发表于：BMC Psychology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s40359-025-03492-4 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Creativity in Education and Neuroscience、Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies、Neuroscience and Music Perception

BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated a link between creative thinking and alpha oscillations, with individuals exhibiting stronger fronto-parietal alpha synchronization during creative tasks. Effective creative thinking is thought to rely on the coordinated activity of the default mode network (DMN) and the executive control network (ECN), particularly in the frontal and parieto-occipital regions, as reflected by variations in alpha oscillatory activity recorded via EEG. Prior studies have shown that transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at the alpha frequency (α-tACS) can enhance DMN activity in the parieto-occipital cortex, and that 10 Hz tACS may increase both alpha power and creative performance. However, the precise effects of α-tACS on creative thinking remain to be fully elucidated. METHODS: To investigate the effects of α-tACS applied to the parieto-occipital region on creative thinking and its underlying cognitive neural mechanisms, we employed a within-participant design using EEG and the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). 28 participants completed two experimental sessions-one with sham stimulation and one with α-tACS-separated by a 24 ~ 48 h interval. In each session, participants performed the AUT immediately following stimulation. RESULTS: Behavioral results showed that participants receiving α-tACS exhibited significantly greater levels of novelty, flexibility, fluency, originality, and elaboration compared to the sham condition. Time-frequenc...