ArticleBMC geriatrics2026
Older adults can outperform younger adults in creative problem solving.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- MEG state dynamics of sentence generation: evidence for a compensatory segmentation mechanism in healthy aging.Frontiers in computational neuroscience · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThis study investigated the impact of aging on creative problem solving, focusing on the ability to resist fixation and generate original ideas. Previous research has suggested that creativity peaks in middle adulthood, followed by a decline that is linked to reduced executive functions. However, emerging evidence challenges this view, highlighting that older adults may utilize broader associative networks and prior knowledge to maintain their creativity.
methodYoung adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults completed a creative task requiring them to generate solutions to a problem while resisting fixation. The participants also rated the creativity of their ideas, and their executive functioning was assessed.
resultsThe results revealed that older adults generated more original and expansive responses than younger and middle-aged adults did, particularly during initial responses. This advantage appears to be linked to leveraging distant associations rather than superior executive control. Temporal analysis revealed that older adults performed better in generating original ideas early in the task but did not sustain this advantage as the task progressed.
conclusionThese findings suggest that while aging is associated with some types of cognitive decline, it also fosters unique cognitive strengths that can enhance certain aspects of creativity. The findings of the current study underscore the need to reconsider stereotypes about aging and creativity and highlights the interplay of executive and associative processes in creative ideation.
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Registered trials
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