Unraveling the multifaceted relationship between creativity and mental health with longitudinal analyses of genotyped twins - Nature

IntroductionCreativity, broadly defined as the ability to form novel and valuable ideas or to find new solutions to problems [1], has long been suggested to be associated with psychiatric disorders [2]. This idea is fueled by many anecdotal examples of famous creators with eccentric personalities and psychiatric problems, from Vincent van Gogh and Ernest Hemingway to Virginia Woolf and Camille Claudel [3]. More recently, research including some systematic reviews and meta-analyses, has suggested that creativity and engagement in creative activities are associated with an increased risk of mental health problems [4, 5]. For example, creative professions were associated with a higher risk of bipolar disorder [6], music playing with more psychosis-like experiences [7, 8], and artistic achievement with multiple mental disorders [9]. However, the literature shows inconsistencies. For example, Cuypers et al. [10] found music-related creative activities to be associated with better perceived mental health. Similarly, art-related cultural activities were associated with less depression in older adults [11] and more social well-being in young adults [12].