Frontoparietal and Default Mode Network Contributions to Self-Referential Processing in Social Anxiety Disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Social anxiety disorder (SAD) involves negative self-perception and emotional reactivity.
• Healthy self-referential processing relies on the default mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal control network (FPCN) for self-representation and regulation.
• Understanding neural underpinnings of self-referential processing in SAD is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) patterns of DMN and FPCN activation during self-referential judgments in SAD patients and controls.
• To compare self-beliefs between individuals with SAD and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine brain activity.
• Participants (97 SAD patients, 34 controls) performed positive and negative self-referential judgments.
• Equivalence testing was employed to assess group differences in network activation.

Main Results:

• SAD patients reported significantly fewer positive and more negative self-traits than controls.
• Despite differences in self-beliefs, both groups showed largely similar DMN and FPCN activation patterns.
• Equivalence testing revealed potential subtle differences in specific brain regions warranting further investigation.

Conclusions:

• While SAD is associated with distinct self-beliefs, core DMN and FPCN recruitment during self-referential tasks may be preserved.
• Identified brain regions with non-negligible effect sizes represent promising targets for future research with larger cohorts.
• This study highlights the complexity of neural mechanisms underlying social anxiety and self-perception.