Creative experiences and brain clocks

Carlos Coronel-Oliveros; Joaquin Migeot; Fernando Lehue; Lucia Amoruso; Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska; Natalia Jakubowska; Kanad N. Mandke; Joana Pereira Seabra; Patricio Orio; Dominic Campbell; Raul Gonzalez-Gomez; Pavel Prado; Jhosmary Cuadros; Enzo Tagliazucchi; Josephine Cruzat; Agustina Legaz; Vicente Medel; Hernan Hernandez; Sol Fittipaldi; Florencia Altschuler; Sebastian Moguilner; Sandra Baez; Hernando Santamaria-Garcia; Alfredis González-Hernández; Jasmin Bonilla-Santos; Bahar Güntekin; Claudio Babiloni; Daniel Abasolo; Gaetano Di Caterina; Görsev G. Yener; Javier Escudero; John Fredy Ochoa-Gómez; Marcio Soto-Añari; Martin A. Bruno; Pedro A. Valdes-Sosa; Renato Anghinah; Rodrigo A. Gonzalez-Montealegre; Ruaridh A. Clark; Adolfo M. García; Laura Kaltwasser; Martin Schürmann; Jil M. Meier; Aneta Brzezicka; Robert Whelan; Brian Lawlor; Ian H. Robertson; Christopher Bailey; Lucia Melloni; Nisha Sajnani; Agustin Ibanez

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9

Creative experiences and brain clocks

Carlos Coronel-Oliveros
, Joaquin Migeot
, Fernando Lehue
, Lucia Amoruso
, Natalia Kowalczyk-Grębska
, Natalia Jakubowska
, Kanad N. Mandke
, Joana Pereira Seabra
, Patricio Orio
, Dominic Campbell
, Raul Gonzalez-Gomez
, Pavel Prado
, Jhosmary Cuadros
, Enzo Tagliazucchi
, Josephine Cruzat
, Agustina Legaz
, Vicente Medel
, Hernan Hernandez
, Sol Fittipaldi
, Florencia Altschuler

Sebastian Moguilner, Sandra Baez, Hernando Santamaria-Garcia, Alfredis González-Hernández, Jasmin Bonilla-Santos, Bahar Güntekin, Claudio Babiloni, Daniel Abasolo, Gaetano Di Caterina, Görsev G. Yener, Javier Escudero, John Fredy Ochoa-Gómez, Marcio Soto-Añari, Martin A. Bruno, Pedro A. Valdes-Sosa, Renato Anghinah, Rodrigo A. Gonzalez-Montealegre, Ruaridh A. Clark, Adolfo M. García, Laura Kaltwasser, Martin Schürmann, Jil M. Meier, Aneta Brzezicka, Robert Whelan, Brian Lawlor, Ian H. Robertson, Christopher Bailey, Lucia Melloni, Nisha Sajnani, Agustin Ibanez

Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez
Trinity College Dublin
University of California at San Francisco
Universidad de San Andrés
BCBL – Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language
Basque Foundation for Science
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
University of Cambridge
Humboldt University of Berlin
Universidad de Valparaíso
Universidad San Sebastián
Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria
Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira
Harvard University
Universidad de los Andes Colombia
Universidad Surcolombiana
Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia
Istanbul Medipol University
University of Rome La Sapienza
Hospital San Raffaele Cassino
University of Surrey
University of Strathclyde
Izmir Ekonomi University
Dokuz Eylul University
Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center
University of Edinburgh
Universidad de Antioquia
Universidad Católica de San Pablo
Universidad Católica de Cuyo
Rosario
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Cuban Neuroscience Center
Universidade de São Paulo
University of Santiago of Chile (USACH)
University of Nottingham
Berlin Institute of Health
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
World Health Organization
New York University
Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics
Ruhr University Bochum

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

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Creative experiences may enhance brain health, yet metrics and mechanisms remain elusive. We characterized brain health using brain clocks, which capture deviations from chronological age (i.e., accelerated or delayed brain aging). We combined M/EEG functional connectivity (N = 1,240) with machine learning support vector machines, whole-brain modeling, and Neurosynth metanalyses. From this framework, we reanalyzed previously published datasets of expert and matched non-expert participants in dance, music, visual arts, and video games, along with a pre/post-learning study (N = 232). We found delayed brain age across all domains and scalable effects (expertise>learning). The higher the level of expertise and performance, the greater the delay in brain age. Age-vulnerable brain hubs showed increased connectivity linked to creativity, particularly in areas related to expertise and creative experiences. Neurosynth analysis and computational modeling revealed plasticity-driven increases in brain efficiency and biophysical coupling, in creativity-specific delayed brain aging. Findings indicate a domain‑independent link between creativity and brain health.

Original language	English
Article number	8336
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9
State	Published - 03 Oct 2025

Keywords

Humans
Middle Aged
Brain/physiology
Male
Electroencephalography
Support Vector Machine
Creativity
Young Adult
Aging/physiology
Music
Video Games
Neuronal Plasticity/physiology
Female
Adult
Dancing
Aged

Access to Document

10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9License: CC BY

Cite this

Coronel-Oliveros, C., Migeot, J., Lehue, F., Amoruso, L., Kowalczyk-Grębska, N., Jakubowska, N., Mandke, K. N., Seabra, J. P., Orio, P., Campbell, D., Gonzalez-Gomez, R., Prado, P., Cuadros, J., Tagliazucchi, E., Cruzat, J., Legaz, A., Medel, V., Hernandez, H., Fittipaldi, S., ... Ibanez, A. (2025). Creative experiences and brain clocks. Nature Communications, 16(1), Article 8336. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9

@article{79fe8b07adc3419c81bd78623ac61ce3,

title = "Creative experiences and brain clocks",

abstract = "Creative experiences may enhance brain health, yet metrics and mechanisms remain elusive. We characterized brain health using brain clocks, which capture deviations from chronological age (i.e., accelerated or delayed brain aging). We combined M/EEG functional connectivity (N = 1,240) with machine learning support vector machines, whole-brain modeling, and Neurosynth metanalyses. From this framework, we reanalyzed previously published datasets of expert and matched non-expert participants in dance, music, visual arts, and video games, along with a pre/post-learning study (N = 232). We found delayed brain age across all domains and scalable effects (expertise>learning). The higher the level of expertise and performance, the greater the delay in brain age. Age-vulnerable brain hubs showed increased connectivity linked to creativity, particularly in areas related to expertise and creative experiences. Neurosynth analysis and computational modeling revealed plasticity-driven increases in brain efficiency and biophysical coupling, in creativity-specific delayed brain aging. Findings indicate a domain‑independent link between creativity and brain health.",

keywords = "Humans, Middle Aged, Brain/physiology, Male, Electroencephalography, Support Vector Machine, Creativity, Young Adult, Aging/physiology, Music, Video Games, Neuronal Plasticity/physiology, Female, Adult, Dancing, Aged",

author = "Carlos Coronel-Oliveros and Joaquin Migeot and Fernando Lehue and Lucia Amoruso and Natalia Kowalczyk-Gr{\c e}bska and Natalia Jakubowska and Mandke, \{Kanad N.\} and Seabra, \{Joana Pereira\} and Patricio Orio and Dominic Campbell and Raul Gonzalez-Gomez and Pavel Prado and Jhosmary Cuadros and Enzo Tagliazucchi and Josephine Cruzat and Agustina Legaz and Vicente Medel and Hernan Hernandez and Sol Fittipaldi and Florencia Altschuler and Sebastian Moguilner and Sandra Baez and Hernando Santamaria-Garcia and Alfredis Gonz{\'a}lez-Hern{\'a}ndez and Jasmin Bonilla-Santos and Bahar G{\"u}ntekin and Claudio Babiloni and Daniel Abasolo and \{Di Caterina\}, Gaetano and Yener, \{G{\"o}rsev G.\} and Javier Escudero and Ochoa-G{\'o}mez, \{John Fredy\} and Marcio Soto-A{\~n}ari and Bruno, \{Martin A.\} and Valdes-Sosa, \{Pedro A.\} and Renato Anghinah and Gonzalez-Montealegre, \{Rodrigo A.\} and Clark, \{Ruaridh A.\} and Garc{\'i}a, \{Adolfo M.\} and Laura Kaltwasser and Martin Sch{\"u}rmann and Meier, \{Jil M.\} and Aneta Brzezicka and Robert Whelan and Brian Lawlor and Robertson, \{Ian H.\} and Christopher Bailey and Lucia Melloni and Nisha Sajnani and Agustin Ibanez",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "3",

doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "1",

}

Coronel-Oliveros, C, Migeot, J, Lehue, F, Amoruso, L, Kowalczyk-Grębska, N, Jakubowska, N, Mandke, KN, Seabra, JP, Orio, P, Campbell, D, Gonzalez-Gomez, R, Prado, P, Cuadros, J, Tagliazucchi, E, Cruzat, J, Legaz, A, Medel, V, Hernandez, H, Fittipaldi, S, Altschuler, F, Moguilner, S, Baez, S, Santamaria-Garcia, H, González-Hernández, A, Bonilla-Santos, J, Güntekin, B, Babiloni, C, Abasolo, D, Di Caterina, G, Yener, GG, Escudero, J, Ochoa-Gómez, JF, Soto-Añari, M, Bruno, MA, Valdes-Sosa, PA, Anghinah, R, Gonzalez-Montealegre, RA, Clark, RA, García, AM, Kaltwasser, L, Schürmann, M, Meier, JM, Brzezicka, A, Whelan, R, Lawlor, B, Robertson, IH, Bailey, C, Melloni, L, Sajnani, N & Ibanez, A 2025, 'Creative experiences and brain clocks', Nature Communications, vol. 16, no. 1, 8336. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9

TY - JOUR

T1 - Creative experiences and brain clocks

AU - Coronel-Oliveros, Carlos

AU - Migeot, Joaquin

AU - Lehue, Fernando

AU - Amoruso, Lucia

AU - Kowalczyk-Grębska, Natalia

AU - Jakubowska, Natalia

AU - Mandke, Kanad N.

AU - Seabra, Joana Pereira

AU - Orio, Patricio

AU - Campbell, Dominic

AU - Gonzalez-Gomez, Raul

AU - Prado, Pavel

AU - Cuadros, Jhosmary

AU - Tagliazucchi, Enzo

AU - Cruzat, Josephine

AU - Legaz, Agustina

AU - Medel, Vicente

AU - Hernandez, Hernan

AU - Fittipaldi, Sol

AU - Altschuler, Florencia

AU - Moguilner, Sebastian

AU - Baez, Sandra

AU - Santamaria-Garcia, Hernando

AU - González-Hernández, Alfredis

AU - Bonilla-Santos, Jasmin

AU - Güntekin, Bahar

AU - Babiloni, Claudio

AU - Abasolo, Daniel

AU - Di Caterina, Gaetano

AU - Yener, Görsev G.

AU - Escudero, Javier

AU - Ochoa-Gómez, John Fredy

AU - Soto-Añari, Marcio

AU - Bruno, Martin A.

AU - Valdes-Sosa, Pedro A.

AU - Anghinah, Renato

AU - Gonzalez-Montealegre, Rodrigo A.

AU - Clark, Ruaridh A.

AU - García, Adolfo M.

AU - Kaltwasser, Laura

AU - Schürmann, Martin

AU - Meier, Jil M.

AU - Brzezicka, Aneta

AU - Whelan, Robert

AU - Lawlor, Brian

AU - Robertson, Ian H.

AU - Bailey, Christopher

AU - Melloni, Lucia

AU - Sajnani, Nisha

AU - Ibanez, Agustin

PY - 2025/10/3

Y1 - 2025/10/3

N2 - Creative experiences may enhance brain health, yet metrics and mechanisms remain elusive. We characterized brain health using brain clocks, which capture deviations from chronological age (i.e., accelerated or delayed brain aging). We combined M/EEG functional connectivity (N = 1,240) with machine learning support vector machines, whole-brain modeling, and Neurosynth metanalyses. From this framework, we reanalyzed previously published datasets of expert and matched non-expert participants in dance, music, visual arts, and video games, along with a pre/post-learning study (N = 232). We found delayed brain age across all domains and scalable effects (expertise>learning). The higher the level of expertise and performance, the greater the delay in brain age. Age-vulnerable brain hubs showed increased connectivity linked to creativity, particularly in areas related to expertise and creative experiences. Neurosynth analysis and computational modeling revealed plasticity-driven increases in brain efficiency and biophysical coupling, in creativity-specific delayed brain aging. Findings indicate a domain‑independent link between creativity and brain health.

AB - Creative experiences may enhance brain health, yet metrics and mechanisms remain elusive. We characterized brain health using brain clocks, which capture deviations from chronological age (i.e., accelerated or delayed brain aging). We combined M/EEG functional connectivity (N = 1,240) with machine learning support vector machines, whole-brain modeling, and Neurosynth metanalyses. From this framework, we reanalyzed previously published datasets of expert and matched non-expert participants in dance, music, visual arts, and video games, along with a pre/post-learning study (N = 232). We found delayed brain age across all domains and scalable effects (expertise>learning). The higher the level of expertise and performance, the greater the delay in brain age. Age-vulnerable brain hubs showed increased connectivity linked to creativity, particularly in areas related to expertise and creative experiences. Neurosynth analysis and computational modeling revealed plasticity-driven increases in brain efficiency and biophysical coupling, in creativity-specific delayed brain aging. Findings indicate a domain‑independent link between creativity and brain health.

KW - Humans

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Brain/physiology

KW - Male

KW - Electroencephalography

KW - Support Vector Machine

KW - Creativity

KW - Young Adult

KW - Aging/physiology

KW - Music

KW - Video Games

KW - Neuronal Plasticity/physiology

KW - Female

KW - Adult

KW - Dancing

KW - Aged

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105017580071

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/21f309a3-ec67-375f-a13d-9f56c42e2e81/

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-64173-9

M3 - Article

C2 - 41044135

AN - SCOPUS:105017580071

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 16

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

M1 - 8336

ER -

Creative experiences and brain clocks

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this