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Resting-state functional connectivity predicts neuroticism and extraversion in novel individuals.

ABSTRACT: The personality dimensions of neuroticism and extraversion are strongly associated with emotional experience and affective disorders. Previous studies reported functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity correlates of these traits, but no study has used brain-based measures to predict them. Here, using a fully cross-validated approach, we predict novel individuals' neuroticism and extraversion from functional connectivity (FC) data observed as they simply rested during fMRI scanning. We applied a data-driven technique, connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM), to resting-state FC data and neuroticism and extraversion scores (self-reported NEO Five Factor Inventory) from 114 participants of the Nathan Kline Institute Rockland sample. After dividing the whole brain into 268 nodes using a predefined functional atlas, we defined each individual's FC matrix as the set of correlations between the activity timecourses of every pair of nodes. CPM identified networks consisting of functional connections correlated with neuroticism and extraversion scores, and used strength in these networks to predict a left-out individual's scores. CPM predicted neuroticism and extraversion in novel individuals, demonstrating that patterns in resting-state FC reveal trait-level measures of personality. CPM also revealed predictive networks that exhibit some anatomical patterns consistent with past studies and potential new brain areas of interest in personality.

SUBMITTER: Hsu WT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5827338 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Resting-state functional connectivity predicts neuroticism and extraversion in novel individuals.

Hsu Wei-Ting WT Rosenberg Monica D MD Scheinost Dustin D Constable R Todd RT Chun Marvin M MM

Social cognitive and affective neuroscience 20180201 2

The personality dimensions of neuroticism and extraversion are strongly associated with emotional experience and affective disorders. Previous studies reported functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity correlates of these traits, but no study has used brain-based measures to predict them. Here, using a fully cross-validated approach, we predict novel individuals' neuroticism and extraversion from functional connectivity (FC) data observed as they simply rested during fMRI scanning. W ...[more]

PMID: 29373729

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Project description:Neuroticism, a core personality trait characterized by a tendency towards experiencing negative affect, has been reported to be higher in people with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) compared with healthy individuals. Neuroticism is a known predictor of depression and anxiety, which also occur more frequently in people with TLE. The purpose of this study was to identify abnormalities in whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity in relation to neuroticism in people with TLE and to determine the degree of unique versus shared patterns of abnormal connectivity in relation to elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety. Ninety-three individuals with TLE (55 females) and 40 healthy controls (18 females) from the Epilepsy Connectome Project (ECP) completed measures of neuroticism, depression, and anxiety, which were all significantly higher in people with TLE compared with controls. Resting-state functional connectivity was compared between controls and groups with TLE with high and low neuroticism using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test. In secondary analyses, the same analytics were performed using measures of depression and anxiety and the unique variance in resting-state connectivity associated with neuroticism independent of symptoms of depression and anxiety identified. Increased neuroticism was significantly associated with hyposynchrony between the right hippocampus and Brodmann area (BA) 9 (region of prefrontal cortex (PFC)) (p < 0.005), representing a unique relationship independent of symptoms of depression and anxiety. Hyposynchrony of connection between the right hippocampus and BA47 (anterior frontal operculum) was associated with high neuroticism and with higher depression and anxiety scores (p < 0.05), making it a shared abnormal connection for the three measures. In conclusion, increased neuroticism exhibits both unique and shared patterns of abnormal functional connectivity with depression and anxiety symptoms between regions of the mesial temporal and frontal lobe.

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Dataset Information

Resting-state functional connectivity predicts neuroticism and extraversion in novel individuals.

Publications

Resting-state functional connectivity predicts neuroticism and extraversion in novel individuals.

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