Effect of Cognitive Stimulation with Creativity Tasks on Resting-State EEG Alpha Power Depends on BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism

Main functions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are neuroprotection and synaptic plasticity. A common single nucleotide polymorphism in the human BDNF gene (Val66Met) impairs activity-dependent secretion of the BDNF, and carrying Met allele is associated with poorer learning. We explored the role of BDNF polymorphism in short-term plasticity induced by complex cognitive stimulation with creativity thinking tasks in Caucasian adults from younger (22.7±3.7 years old, N = 63) and older (63.5±5.2 years old, N = 49) age groups. Resting-state EEG with eyes open was recorded prior to and immediately after forty-minute verbal and figural creative task performance. The EEG spectral density in individual alpha frequency band was calculated using FFT in pre-task and post-task intervals. All subjects were genotyped for BDNF status. ANOVA revealed more left-sided (left>right) changes from pre-task to post-task intervals in Val/Val homozygotes in comparison with Met carriers. BDNF-associated alpha power asymmetry indicator in frontal region, which is well-known manifestation of motivational withdrawal/approach, was strongly correlated with interest in tasks (not with originality, amount of ideas, or task difficulty). Mediation analysis confirmed that attenuated frontal asymmetry (left-right) of pre/post task changes in Met carriers in comparison to Val/Val was associated with lower interest in tasks - component of internal motivation for creative problem solving. These findings suggest that complex cognitive stimulation with creativity tasks induced tendency towards withdrawal motivation in Met carriers in comparison to Val/Val at the level of brain activity.