Fig. 4: Topographic patterns of connectivity associated with creative experiences.

a The anticorrelation between nodal functional connectivity and age represents age vulnerability. Associations between age vulnerability and increased brain connectivity are driven by creative experiences. The areas that have the greatest increase in connectivity are the ones with higher Cohen’s D effect sizes. The brain of the experts’ group is the average brain across dance dancers, musicians, visual artists, and gamers. Scatter plots represent the associations in expertise (r = 0.345, p < 0.001, N = 78 brain areas, Cohen’s f ² = 0.135) and learning (r = 0.326, p < 0.001, N = 78 brain areas, Cohen’s f ² = 0.119). Points in scatter plots represent brain areas. b Neurosynth associations with brain connectivity increase in creative experiences. We reported the absolute Pearson’s correlation between brain connectivity and association maps of different cognitive processes (N = 78 brain areas). FDR-corrected p-values are shown, and the thickness of the circles represents statistical significance. The p-values were computed using the Spin test up to 10,000 permutations before performing the FDR correction.