https://www.purposivedrift.net/2004/05/26/low_latent_inhi/ Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:06:44 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.7 https://www.purposivedrift.net/2004/05/26/low_latent_inhi/#comment-9 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:41:26 +0000 http://drift.allseeing-i.com/2004/05/26/low_latent_inhi/#comment-9 I really think this research has opened up a whole new way of thinking about creativity. I’m especially interested in how we can use this research to pursue heightened creativity. I like how the article mentions that corticosterone lowers latent inhibition. For example, white noise, caffeine, alcohol, cold water, and many forms of stress increase corticosterone, and would presumably lower LI. It seems like experimenting with combinations of these could provide one way to personally test out these ideas. Increased dopamine neurotransmission likewise lowers LI, as has been found in several studies which tested latent inhibition when d-ampetamine was given to humans. As expected, the dopaminergic effect of amphetamine significantly lowered LI. Alcohol and all drugs of abuse have dopaminergic effects, which might help explain the longstanding association between creative individuals and drug abuse. The question is, how can we increase dopamine in a more sustainable way? In my experience I have found two common natural supplements to be useful: NADH (which increases dopamine via the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase) as well as SAM-e (typically used as an antidepressant, but it has also been found to effectively re-sensitize the dopamine-rich nucleus accumbens, which may ultimately contribute to a dopaminergic effect). I discuss latent inhibition and creativity extensively at my website, http://creativesubstances.com.
Most importantly perhaps is that this research provides a way to conceptualize the optimum creative mind-state: a detached, diffuse state of mind in which a multitude of associations are combined and recombined to generate novel solutions. When I think back to some creative breakthroughs I’ve had as a creative writer, what stands out are stretches often lasting hours of struggling to find a solution. My mind seems almost blank, as if everything is happening subsurface. The actual breakthrough usually comes either late at night in bed or shortly after waking up in the morning. Fresh solutions or directions abruptly come to mind, and from that first solution innumerable further directions and ideas spiral out with a euphoria-producing ease.

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