Researchers from Duke University and the University of Padova have hammered another nail into the right-brain creativity myth. They suggest that the increased communication of both hemispheres is what helps distinguish creative people.

David Dunson, from Duke, and Daniele Durante, from Padova, analyzed data that had been collected by Rex Jung and a team of researchers from the University of New Mexico.

Dunson collected data by assessing people’s creativity using a variety of tests, ranging from problem-solving questions, to drawing different geometric shapes.

In addition to the tests, the subjects were also asked to fill out questionnaires about their involvement in visual arts, music, writing, dancing, cooking and science.

Each person was then given a creativity score based on their responses.

After crunching the numbers, the data revealed that those who scored high in creativity had a larger number of connections between their right and left hemispheres, especially in the frontal lobe.

Dunson noted there were no significant differences between men and women.

“Maybe by scanning a person’s brain we could tell what they’re likely to be good at,” Dunson said.

The team said they will continue their work by doing statistical calculations on their findings to determine if the connectivity between hemispheres might be linked to I.Q.

Dunson and his fellow colleagues are now working with Paul Thompson, neurology professor from University of Southern California, to see if their methods might be useful in early Alzheimer’s detection.