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Extraversion mediates the relationship between structural variations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and social
Feng Kong1, Siyuan Hu2, Song Xue1
1State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, China.
Neuroimage
|December 3, 2014
Summary
Social well-being is linked to lower gray matter volume in the left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (mid-DLPFC). Extraversion mediates this relationship, highlighting its role in social well-being and brain structure.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Social Science
Background:
- Social well-being is vital for overall health but its neural underpinnings are poorly understood.
- Individual differences in social well-being require investigation into their biological basis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify brain regions associated with individual differences in social well-being.
- To explore the role of personality traits, particularly extraversion, in this association.
Main Methods:
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to analyze gray matter volume in a large sample of healthy young adults.
- The Social Well-being Scale (SWBS) measured social well-being.
- NEO Personality Inventory assessed personality factors like neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness.
Main Results:
- A negative correlation was found between social well-being and gray matter volume in the left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (mid-DLPFC).
- This association remained significant after controlling for socioeconomic status.
- Extraversion mediated the relationship between left mid-DLPFC volume and social well-being.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence for a structural neural basis of individual differences in social well-being.
- The personality trait of extraversion may play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of social well-being.
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