REM, not incubation, improves creativity by priming associative networks

Denise J. Cai; Sarnoff A. Mednick; Elizabeth M. Harrison; Jennifer C. Kanady; Sara C. Mednick

doi:10.1073/pnas.0900271106

REM, not incubation, improves creativity by priming associative networks

Denise J. Cai, Sarnoff A. Mednick, Elizabeth M. Harrison, Jennifer C. Kanady, Sara C. Mednick

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

389 Scopus citations

Abstract

The hypothesized role of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is rich in dreams, in the formation of new associations, has remained anecdotal. We examined the role of REM on creative problem solving, with the Remote Associates Test (RAT). Using a nap paradigm, we manipulated various conditions of prior exposure to elements of a creative problem. Compared with quiet rest and non-REM sleep, REM enhanced the formation of associative networks and the integration of unassociated information. Furthermore, these REM sleep benefits were not the result of an improved memory for the primed items. This study shows that compared with quiet rest and non-REM sleep, REM enhances the integration of unassociated information for creative problem solving, a process, we hypothesize, that is facilitated by cholinergic and noradrenergic neuromodulation during REM sleep.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	10130-10134
Number of pages	5
Journal	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume	106
Issue number	25
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0900271106
State	Published - 23 Jun 2009
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Human
Implicit
Memory
Remote-associates
Sleep

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abstract = "The hypothesized role of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is rich in dreams, in the formation of new associations, has remained anecdotal. We examined the role of REM on creative problem solving, with the Remote Associates Test (RAT). Using a nap paradigm, we manipulated various conditions of prior exposure to elements of a creative problem. Compared with quiet rest and non-REM sleep, REM enhanced the formation of associative networks and the integration of unassociated information. Furthermore, these REM sleep benefits were not the result of an improved memory for the primed items. This study shows that compared with quiet rest and non-REM sleep, REM enhances the integration of unassociated information for creative problem solving, a process, we hypothesize, that is facilitated by cholinergic and noradrenergic neuromodulation during REM sleep.",

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AU - Cai, Denise J.

AU - Mednick, Sarnoff A.

AU - Harrison, Elizabeth M.

AU - Kanady, Jennifer C.

AU - Mednick, Sara C.

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REM, not incubation, improves creativity by priming associative networks

Abstract

Keywords

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