How Your Brain Creates ‘Aha’ Moments and Why They Stick

 They observed that when a participant noticed a hidden object, brain activity increased in the ventral occipitotemporal cortex (VOTC), a region responsible for recognizing visual patterns in the environment; the amygdala, which processes both positive and negative emotions; and the hippocampus, a deep-brain structure involved in handling memories. This activity was greater for experiences rated more certain and emotionally positive — in other words, more insightful ones.

The hippocampus is sometimes known as the brain’s “mismatch detector,” Becker said, because it reacts when an input doesn’t align with expectations. In this case, insight leads a once-meaningless image to gain meaning, going against the brain’s predictions.

https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-your-brain-creates-aha-moments-and-why-they-stick-20251105/