Variations in cortical folding patterns are related to individual differences in temperament

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Behavioral Genetics

Background:

• Individual differences in temperament are observable early in life.
• The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a role in cognitive and emotional regulation.
• Understanding the emergence of brain-behavior associations is crucial for developmental insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between early neurodevelopmental patterns of the ACC and core temperament dimensions.
• To explore how cortical folding patterns in the ACC relate to Effortful Control, Negative Affectivity, Surgency, and Affiliation.
• To identify potential sex differences in these brain-behavior associations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to analyze ACC cortical folding patterns in 153 early adolescents.
• Classified ACC folding patterns based on the paracingulate sulcus (PCS) into leftward asymmetric, rightward asymmetric, or symmetric.
• Correlated ACC folding patterns with temperament assessments of Effortful Control, Negative Affectivity, Surgency, and Affiliation.

Main Results:

• A leftward asymmetric ACC folding pattern was associated with higher Effortful Control and lower Negative Affectivity compared to a rightward asymmetric pattern, notably in males.
• A symmetric ACC folding pattern correlated with higher Affiliation than a rightward asymmetric pattern across both sexes.
• Evidence suggests sex-specific neural underpinnings for certain temperament dimensions.

Conclusions:

• Early neurodevelopmental processes, reflected in ACC cortical folding, contribute to individual differences in temperament.
• The study highlights sexual dimorphisms in the neural basis of temperament during early adolescence.
• Findings suggest that brain structure variations can predict early temperament profiles.