Creativity can be the key to better brain. Researchers at Maharishi University of Management in Iowa and the University West in Sweden have found creativity lies at the root of innovation, entrepreneurship, competitiveness, and faster brain processing. The findings, which were published in the Creativity Research Journal, highlight the brain’s ability to integrate and process problems and alternative solutions faster if its creative side is more highly developed, the Medical Daily reported.

Brain integration was defined by the researchers as mind-brain development and measured by tracking the frontal brain waves of 21 product development engineers in Sweden, with educations that ranged from no university education to PhDs to full professors. They used an electroencephalography (EEG) to see how connected different regions of the brain were, which examine how efficiently a brain reacts to a stimulus. 

The engineers fell between the 70th to 90th percentile in terms of creativity. 

"Our empirical findings highlight that creativity, in the form of flexibility and originality is connected to whole brain functioning and psychological development," said Dr. Yvonne Lagrosen, the study’s co-author from the University West in Sweden. "Since creativity is highly important for individual success, optimizing brain functioning should be a priority for every student."

This study leads to the importance of creativity. In school settings, creativity needs to be fostered in order to grow individually successful students. Researchers conclude that creativity should be considered a core value for employees who want to research success.

"This then raises a question," said Dr. Frederick Travis, one of the study’s lead authors and director of the Center for Brain, Consciousness, and Cognition at Maharishi University.. "Is it possible to increase one's level of brain integration, or is it simply a matter of genes (nature) or a supportive environment (nurture)?"