Functional connectivity mediating passive coping style and perceived stress in predicting anxiety

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Passive coping style (CS) and perceived stress are linked to anxiety development.
• The neurobiological mechanisms connecting passive CS and stress to anxiety susceptibility are not fully understood.
• Investigating these links in young adults is crucial for understanding anxiety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationships among passive CS, brain functional connectivity, perceived stress, and anxiety.
• To identify specific brain networks and connections that mediate the effects of passive CS and stress on anxiety.
• To determine if these neural connections can predict current and future anxiety levels.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Gene-Brain-Behavior (GBB) and Southwest University Longitudinal Imaging Multimodal Project (SLIM).
• Confirmed correlations between anxiety, passive CS, and perceived stress.
• Investigated mediated functional connectivity and its predictive power for anxiety using neuroimaging data.

Main Results:

• Anxiety scores positively correlated with passive CS and perceived stress.
• Default mode network (DMN), somatomotor network (SMN), and subcortical network (SUN) connections mediated the passive CS-stress relationship.
• Mediated functional connections, particularly within the DMN (ACC, IPG, SFG, MFG), predicted current and one-year follow-up anxiety.

Conclusions:

• Neurobiological mechanisms linking passive CS and perceived stress predict anxiety.
• These findings enhance understanding of anxiety susceptibility's neurobiological basis.
• Implications for early prevention and intervention strategies for mental disorders.