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Meta-analysis of Voxel-Based Neuroimaging Studies using Seed-based d Mapping with Permutation of Subject Images (SDM-PSI)
Published on: November 27, 2019
Voxel-based morphometry of disgust proneness.
Wilfried Scharmüller1, Anne Schienle
1Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/III, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
Neuroscience Letters
|September 18, 2012
Summary
Disgust proneness, a personality trait, is linked to specific brain structures. Higher food-related disgust correlates with greater insula volume, while decay and death disgust relate to reduced prefrontal cortex gray matter volume.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Disgust proneness is a key personality trait influencing behavior and decision-making.
- Understanding the neural correlates of disgust processing is crucial for comprehending emotional regulation and psychopathology.
- Previous research suggests specific brain regions are involved in disgust, but links to personality traits require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between disgust proneness and gray matter volume (GMV) in brain regions involved in disgust processing.
- To explore how different disgust domains (food, death, hygiene, decay, secretions) relate to specific brain structures.
- To determine if core disgust processing is uniquely associated with gustatory cortex GMV.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis of structural MRI data.
- Assessment of disgust proneness across five domains in 99 healthy women.
- Correlation analysis between disgust proneness scores and regional GMV.
Main Results:
- Food-related disgust proneness positively correlated with insula volume.
- Disgust sensitivity to decay and death negatively correlated with GMV in the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DMPFC, DLPFC).
- Core disgust showed an association with gustatory cortex GMV, while other disgust reactivity linked to cognitive control areas.
Conclusions:
- Brain structure, specifically gray matter volume, is associated with individual differences in disgust proneness.
- The insula and prefrontal cortex are key neural substrates for processing different aspects of disgust.
- Findings highlight the distinct neural underpinnings of core disgust versus reactivity to other disgust-eliciting stimuli.
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