Does self-construal predict activity in the social brain network? A genetic moderation effect

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Neural activity in the social brain network is influenced by both cultural traits and genetic variations.
• The interplay between specific genetic polymorphisms and cultural influences on social cognition remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) affects the association between self-construals and neural activity.
• To examine how 5-HTTLPR variants (s/s vs. l/l) modulate brain responses during self-reflection and reflection on a significant other (mother).

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to scan Chinese adults with either the short/short (s/s) or long/long (l/l) 5-HTTLPR genotype.
• Participants reflected on personal attributes of themselves and their mother while undergoing fMRI scans.
• Self-construals were measured using the Self-Construal Scale.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in self-construal scores were found between the s/s and l/l genotype groups.
• A significant difference in the relationship between self-construal scores and neural activity was observed between the genotype groups.
• The l/l genotype group, but not the s/s group, showed a significant association between self-construal scores and activity in brain regions including the medial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction, and hippocampus during reflection tasks.

Conclusions:

• The serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) interacts with cultural traits (self-construal) to shape neural substrates of social cognition.
• Genetic variations can modulate the neural mechanisms underlying the influence of cultural factors on social brain function.