About the Center

Historically, creativity is tightly associated with giftedness. Indeed, one of the key topics addressed by the Center is the biological basis of cognitive enhancements, a topic that can be studied in human subjects and animal models. In the past much of the focus in the brain sciences has been on the study of brain mechanisms that degrade cognitive performance (for example, on mutations or other lesions that cause cognitive deficits).

This new research initiative seeks to study the molecular, cellular, systems and cognitive mechanisms that result in cognitive enhancements and explain unusual levels of performance in gifted individuals, including extraordinary creativity. Additionally, by understating the mechanisms responsible for enhancements in performance we may be better suited to intervene and reverse disease states that result in cognitive deficits.

The CBC is part of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, with members affiliated with several different departments at UCLA.