Creativity is associated with higher genetic scores and creativity and psychosis share biological pathways, a study by a group of international researchers shows. Amongst them Niels Rietveld (Erasmus School of Economics) and Hennig Tiemeier, Albert Hofmann and Frank van Rooij (Erasmus MC). They recently published an article in Nature Neuroscience. The research underline the successful collaboration between Erasmus School of Economics and Erasmus MC in Erasmus University Institute for Behavior and Biology (EURIBEB).
The Nature Neuroscience paper examined the prediction of creativity by genetic risk scores for schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Great thinkers of the past, from Aristotle to Shakespeare, have remarked that creative genius and insanity are characterized by the same unleashing of thoughts and emotions. This is supported by epidemiological studies demonstrating overlap between psychiatric disorders and creativity. This study shows that creativity is associated with higher genetic scores and that creativity and psychosis share biological pathways.
This publication shows the successful partnership of the Erasmus Medical Center and the Erasmus School of Economics within the Erasmus University Rotterdam Institute for Behavior and Biology (EURIBEB). EURIBEB's research aims to integrate insights from biology (e.g. genetics, hormones, neurotransmitters, brain images), the social sciences (e.g. economics, psychology), and epidemiology (e.g. mental and cardio-vascular health) to address classic research questions in economics. The institute collaborates closely with the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium (SSGAC) and the CHARGE consortium for genetic epidemiology.
Niels Rietveld is assistant professor at the Department of Applied Economics of Erasmus School of Economics.
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For more information, please contact Ronald de Groot, communication officer at Erasmus School of Economics, rdegroot@ese.eur.nl mobile: +31 6 53 641 846.