Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 18, 2026
17:06
Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
Published on: November 8, 2012
27.2K
Social network diversity and white matter microstructural integrity in humans
Tara Molesworth1, Lei K Sheu2, Sheldon Cohen1
1Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University.
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
|January 22, 2015
Summary
Social integration, or having diverse social roles, is linked to better white matter integrity in the brain. This connection may explain how social networks impact overall health.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Health Sciences
Background:
- Social integration is linked to physical, emotional, and cognitive health.
- The brain mechanisms underlying this connection remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between social integration and white matter microstructure in healthy adults.
- To explore potential mediating roles of inflammation and functional connectivity.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to measure white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy - FA).
- Social network diversity and circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were assessed in 155 healthy adults.
Main Results:
- A positive association was found between social network diversity and white matter integrity (FA) across the brain.
- This association was strongest near the anterior corpus callosum, involving pathways connecting prefrontal cortices.
- FA indirectly mediated the link between social network diversity and functional connectivity in corticostriatal pathways.
Conclusions:
- Social integration is associated with myelin integrity in the human brain.
- These findings suggest a neural mechanism linking social networks to health outcomes.
