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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Neurostructural correlates of dispositional self-compassion.

Fang Guan1, Guanmin Liu1, Walker S Pedersen2

  • 1Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

Neuropsychologia
|August 2, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Self-compassion is linked to brain structure, particularly gray matter volume in areas involved in emotion regulation. Lower self-judgment correlated with less gray matter in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Keywords:
Emotion regulationMindfulnessSelf-compassionSelf-judgmentVoxel-based morphometry

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Brain Imaging

Background:

  • Self-compassion is a key emotion regulation strategy linked to psychological health.
  • Understanding the neural basis of self-compassion is crucial for mental well-being.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated the structural neural correlates of self-compassion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neurostructural correlates of dispositional self-compassion and its components.
  • To identify specific brain regions associated with self-compassion and its facets.
  • To explore the relationship between self-compassion, brain structure, and psychological health.

Main Methods:

  • Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was employed to analyze brain structure.
  • Gray matter volume (GMV) was correlated with dispositional self-compassion scores.
  • Analyses examined the structural correlates of self-compassion components: mindfulness, isolation, and over-identification.

Main Results:

  • Self-compassion showed an inverse correlation with gray matter volume (GMV) in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).
  • This association was primarily driven by the reduced self-judgment component of self-compassion.
  • Mindfulness correlated with greater GMV in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex and left supplementary motor area.
  • Isolation and over-identification components were associated with greater GMV in the right inferior temporal gyrus; over-identification also related to less GMV in visual areas.

Conclusions:

  • Dispositional self-compassion and its components are associated with distinct patterns of brain structure.
  • Findings highlight the role of the DLPFC, medial prefrontal cortex, and other regions in self-compassion.
  • These results offer insights into the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying self-compassion and its health benefits.