How much of my Creativity is Genetic?

In comparing my raw genome data (I had mapped via www.23andme.com) and my research into creativity and genetics, I found some genes that I have and that the research suggests may be linked to creativity. However I also found the data to be not entirely convincing, a sentiment verified by Barbot et al (p73 2013) who’s “research focusing on the genetic bases of creativity” found that “In general, these studies have produced low to moderate heritability estimates of creativity”.

I selected five genes I have that research has linked to creativity to include in Creative Evolution a body of work created for a solo art exhibition in The Signal Arts Centre in Bray, Co.Wicklow;

Genes COMT, PLEKHG4B, DRD4, DRD2 and Gene ACTN3 a gene linked with Sprinters as it was too just too funny a notion that I could be a sprinter to leave out! (I’m not a fan of running!)

This data became a self portrait in an unusual format; genome data in visual format in petri dishes.

Gene COMT:

“By employing divergent thinking (DT) tests as a measure of creative potential, several attempts have been made to identify COMT and DRD2 related genetic variants associated with creativity” (Reuter et al. 2006 In Zhang et al 2014). (Divergent thinking tests seem to mostly take the form of listing verbally as many uses as possible for a brick). Further research is referenced in this paper by Zhang et al (2014) correlating their premise that the gene COMT is associated with creative attributes some of those they include are working memory, cognitive control, fluency of ideas and novelty seeking behaviour.

Gene PLEKHG4B:

My version of this gene is stated by 23and me.com as being linked with “Increased episodic memory”.

Gene DRD4:

On Chromosome 11 I have a a Gene called DRD4. “The DRD4 protein is expressed in a number of brain regions, with a high level of expression in the prefrontal cortex, a region thought to be involved in cognition, attention, and other higher brain functions (Oak et al. 2000).

My method of selecting results from my 23and me data that I thought may be attributes for creativity and starting from there, seeking research into that gene and creativity led me to an interesting limitation in the 23and me results.

The 23and me results I received stated in the ‘traits’ page that I am ”Much less efficient at learning to avoid errors”. I followed their link to the research they took this view from which said “Our findings support the hypotheses that the 5-HTTLPR S allele may predispose to (performance) anxiety, while DRD2 Taq1 A allele may predispose to the reward deficiency syndrome” (Althaus et al 2008).

So I researched further; I went into the raw genome data portion of my results page and found that I only have one of these genes the DRD2 gene, a receptor gene (also known as ANKK1) and in particular I have the SNP or mutation rs1800497 which is linked with creativity!. The A allele encodes for less dopamine receptors which is thought to promote creative thinking as "Fewer D2 receptors in the thalamus probably means a lower degree of signal filtering, and thus a higher flow of information from the thalamus” (Manzano et al 2010). Dr Ullén elaborates that "Fewer D2 receptors in the thalamus probably mean a lower degree of signal filtering, and thus a higher flow of information from the thalamus".

He explains that this could be a possible mechanism behind the ability of healthy highly creative people to see numerous uncommon connections in a problem-solving situation and the bizarre associations found in the mentally ill” (Ullén 2010). “Creative individuals have been shown to display greater inter-hemispheric transfer of information, possibly accounting for the proficiencies in divergence of thought, remote associations, and then making use of the superior functioning Prefrontal Cortex to make judgments about the appropriateness of those ideas (Jung Beeman et al., 2003). Kuszewski (p17) notes that “the element that appears to make the PFC [Prefrontal Cortex] work in this manner is the effectiveness and efficiency of the dopamine receptors”.

So what do I take from these ‘results’ that I may be predisposed to a “reward deficiency syndrome” (Althaus et al 2008) but the same gene may also predispose me to being “highly creative” (Ullén 2010)? The ‘results’ lead me to believe that present day research into genetics and personality traits are is in its infancy.

It also important to note that we share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees! :see Horizon programme ‘What makes us human’ episode 16 with Prof Alice Roberts. Michael Tomesello (2013) of the Max-Plank Institute says to Prof. Roberts, “Fish are born expecting water...humans are born expecting culture”. He continues on to say “What makes us really different is our ability to put our heads together to do things that neither one of us could do alone; To create new resources, that neither one of us could create alone, it’s really all about communicating, and collaborating and working together” (Michael Tomesello 2013).

My original question as I began this body of work was “How much of my creativity is genetic? and the answer I found at this moment in time is very little; at least there is very little conclusive evidence that I could find and as yet the genetics field is young. There seems to be more evidence as I read that most of our creativity is influenced by our environment.

“The effects of the cultural environment on creativity can also be profound (Lubert, 1990)- first, because it is within cultures that creative products are valued, but also because cultures affect the definition of creativity, the creative process, the direction in which creativity is channelled, and the degrees to which creativity is nurtured (Lubert, 1990)” (Barbot et al 2013 p77) I certainly grew up in an environment where within my family being creative and hand making was nurtured, I was born into an era where I could access an art education to further this creativity. I haven’t used my Sprinter gene and many other genes revealed in my genome mapping.

• www.23and me.com

• Althaus, Monika. Yvonne Groen, Albertus A. Wijers, Lambertus J.M. Mulder, Ruud B. Minderaa, Ido P.Kema, Jaaneke D.A Dijck, Catharina A Hartman, Pieter J. Hoesktra (2008) Differential effects of 5-HTTLPR and DRD2/ANKK1 polymorphisms on electrocortical measures of error and feedback processing in children http://www.clinph-journal.com/article/S1388-2457(08)01018-3/abstract (accessed on 13.5.14)

• Barbot, B. Tan, M and Grigorenko, E.L ( 2013 p73) The Genetics of Creativity: The Generative and Receptive sides of the creativity Equation chapter 4 In Neuroscience of Creativity Eds Vartanian, Oshin. Bristol, Adam S, Kaufman James.C (2013) MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England

• Jung-Beeman, M., Bowden, E., Haberman, J., Frymiare, J., Arambel-Liu, S., Greenblatt, R., Reber, P., Kounios, J. (2004). Neural activity when people solve problems with insight. PLoS Biol 2(4): e97 In Kuszewski , Andrea (2009) The Genetics of Creativity A Serendipitous Assemblage of Madness Working Paper No. 58. Metodo Transdisciplinary research group on social sciences ISSN: 1692-9667 www.grupometodo.org pdf available on researchgate.net (accessed 18.5.14 )

• Kuszewski , Andrea (2009) The Genetics of Creativity A Serendipitous Assemblage of Madness Working Paper No. 58. Metodo Transdisciplinary research group on social sciences ISSN: 1692-9667 www.grupometodo.org pdf available on researchgate.net (accessed 18.5.14 )

• Manzano. Orjan de, Cervenka. Simon, Karabanov. Anke, Farde. Lars, Ullen Fredrik (2010) Thinking outside a less intact box: Thalamic Dopamine D2 Receptor Densities are negatively related to Psychmetric Creativity in Healthy Individuals http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010670 (accessed 23.8.14)

• Oak, JN. Oldenhof, J. Van Tol, HHM. (2000) The dopamine D4 receptor: one decade of research Eur J Pharmacol, 404 (2000), pp. 303–327

• Tomesello, Michael (2013) Horizon programme BBC

• Ullén, Fredrik (2010) Dopamine system in highly creative people similar to that seen in schizophrenics, study finds http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100518064610.htm (Accessed 23.8.14)

• Shun Zhang, Muzi Zhang, and Jinghuan Zhang (2014) Association of COMT and COMT-DRD2 interaction with creative potential. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014; 8: 216. Published online Apr 14, 2014. Prepublished online Feb 6, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3995040/ (accessed 4.8.14)