Deep in the Dopamine Sea

A new study by researchers at the Karolinska Insitutet in Sweden has revealed a strong similarity between dopamine production in healthy, "highly creative" brains with that of schizophrenics. Previous research has shown that high creative skills are more common in people with mental illness in the family, and creativity is also linked to a higher risk of the development of schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Previous research has also found that certain psychological traits, like making unusual associations, are also shared by schizophrenics and those with a healthy, highly creative brain.

Now, new research has shown that the brain's dopamine D2 receptors in a healthy, creative brain are strikingly similar to that of a person suffering with schizophrenia. It is unknown exactly to just which brain mechanisms are responsible for this correlation, but according to Doctor Fredrick Ullén of the Karolinksa Institutet, the functioning systems of the brain utilizing dopamine mean may be the key. Studies have shown that genes of dopamine receptors are linked to the ability for divergent thought. Dr. Ullén carried forth a study that measured the creativity of healthy individuals using divergent psychological tests with the task of finding many different solutions to a problem.

The study resulted in that those that did well on the test with the "highly creative brain" had a lower density of D2 receptors in the thalamus than less creative people. Similarly, schizophrenics are also known to have low D2 density in the same part of the brain, suggesting the link between mental illness and creativity. The thalamus serves as a relay center for the filtration of information before it reaches certain areas of the cortex, which is responsible for cognition and reasoning. Accordingly, if there are fewer D2 receptors in the thalamus, means that there are a lower degree of signal filtering causing a higher flow of information from the thalamus. This mechanism could be the correlation between "highly creative people to see numerous uncommon connections in problem-solving situations and the bizarre associations found in the mentally ill."

Image: "Eros ≥ Mimesis . Catharsis ²" by jef safi on Flickr courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing.

Tags:

Comments

yes

Submitted by Japer2012 on Fri, 05/28/2010 - 13:54.

I have schizophrenia and it possesses definite bipolar traits. I have come to the conclusion that mental "illness" is the brains response to consciousness evolution. It seems that the mind wants what the brain is not currently hard wired to endure. From what I experience I go through intense times of creative lust followed by times where I can't pick up a pencil. Chemical brain imbalance is the minds way of manipulating our mushy computers into thinking differently. Making strange associations is the story of my life, I often find myself making connections that the people around say "I've never thought of it like that before." Schizophrenia, autism, OCD, and Manic depression are all evolutionary steps towards the top of the mental pyramid of inherent human psyche. "in order for there to be order... there must first be disorder"

So japer you think that

Submitted by Chen Cho Dorge on Fri, 05/28/2010 - 15:00.

So japer you think that maybe its like an inbetween stage, like the brain going into evolutionary adaptions or mutations until its gets it finds a higher level of adaptivity maybe? Thats what your disorder then order comment made me think of... thats interesting... http://changaya.blogspot.com

honestly japer... you just

Submitted by Chen Cho Dorge on Fri, 05/28/2010 - 15:04.

honestly japer... you just helped me see mental illness in a totally new light... am very greatful! http://changaya.blogspot.com

"The thalamus serves as a relay center

Submitted by Jedi Mind Traveler on Fri, 05/28/2010 - 19:00.

...for the filtration of information before it reaches certain areas of the cortex, which is responsible for cognition and reasoning."

This sounds like Huxley's idea of the brain as a reducing valve, filtering the raw information before it gets to waking consciousness. So it would seem that people whose brains are arranged differently, (particularly Aspergers) have info flow in without so many of the usual conceptual filters and patterns of belief.

Consider the similarities and crossovers between autism/aspergers and so called "indigo children." They tend to question assumptions and "remember" more of why they are here on earth.

I think the message is that everyone has the capacity, however much forgotten or neglected, to "remember," to question, and produce astounding creativity! Consider the neuroplasticity argument - exercise that creativity and it gets stronger!

this made me remember.....

Submitted by barbjb on Sat, 05/29/2010 - 21:18.

almost 15 years ago attending a seminar in Phoenix, AZ with Fred Friese, PhD of Case Western....who has schizophrenia himself ,sharing about a word assoc study done with folks with schizophrenia...you remember, the kind where they say "animal....stripes....whiskers....et al....leading to the correct statement of 'tiger'. Folks with schizophrenia arrived at 'tiger' several cues ahead of the 'chronically normal' population. Dr. F spoke of how this was so often true in his own personal experience and of being in meetings, and learning over the years he needed to refrain from expressing out loud how quickly he was making the "associations" and connections that he could see so clearly as problems were discussed, because it made his colleagues uncomfortable. We were talking in the seminar about how much we all need one another to find the answers to our challenges. Rather than excluding folks with "mi's" we need to understand and embrace the gifts and talents each of us brings to the table. Thanks for sharing this new study, Chris!

great topic of discussion

Submitted by poppys4cast on Mon, 05/31/2010 - 11:03.

perhaps if we would stop projecting mental illness on to many of these conditions the majority of people are just harboring fear about, we would be able to recognize peak brain functioning as a tool rather than something to be thought of as not working properly. For all we know these people have entered into the perspective of the shaman unknowingly and just need a certain kind of guidance to return to their lives. If anything we should call it 'future illness' in that people are trying to make sense out of the future before we even get there.Life will always return you to the starting point of your mental escapades.At the point of return there really is only one approach....'Stay calm and carry on'- anonymous

Exactly - the future is a return to the beginning...

Submitted by Jedi Mind Traveler on Mon, 05/31/2010 - 11:33.

experience is what's left after your brain filters everything out before raw information gets to your conscious awareness. Some people have found ways to bypass the reducing valve and we call them crazy. But what happens when we seriously consider what the crazies are telling us. It's unreasonable. But would we expect anything less?

school and connectivity

Submitted by Clyde_Nielson on Tue, 06/01/2010 - 17:51.

There is a feature of modern schooling (in contrast to "education") which focuses the students' attention on isolated facts, dates, objects, and well defined categorizations instead of on the multifarious, indeed infinite, connections and relationships between all these separated things. Bringing the focus back to connections would of course make a shambles out of the curriculum, but would help minds to wander and explore. The very thing the owners and controllers of our distorted society fear. Just a thought.

Mental Aliveness

Submitted by showard888 on Wed, 06/02/2010 - 14:19.

What happens in the healthy highly creative brain as well as in the "mentally ill" individual is a natural process based on many factors like imprinting and genes, but it is not always a non-willed phenomenon. Magicians and shamans of all ages have actively worked to open themselves up to the infinite reservoir of information that the conscious mind dams and filters. So for those of you who are following this feed, have optimism, for we all have the potential for an increase in the creative spark, and for some who feel like this doesn't pertain to them, look again cause it might just take some energy to unlock the fountain that was one of the many gifts of mankind since the beginning. Peace and Love

If serotonin and dopamine

Submitted by imtech on Tue, 10/12/2010 - 07:14.

If serotonin and dopamine is created in our brain then it reflect in our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Like Alzheimer’s disease they are a powerful group of chemicals in the brain that result in physiological and psychological changes in how we experience our lives. Alzheimer's

with flowing discussions,

Submitted by usmanjee on Mon, 02/07/2011 - 23:03.

with flowing discussions, 642-426 at times psychedelic comedic... but for the most part deep thoughts about where humanity stands at this historic juncture of time as we know it..., 1z0-533 standing room only, great space to hold intimate events, Dan and Reggie kept the dialogue flowing as they became literary hummingbirds flapping 70-291 their wings in an eternal 8 flow in Williamsburg... I am glad that I attended....Thanks to Dan & Reggie and the good vibes at the Cup..