1
|
Jornkokgoud K, Baggio T, Bakiaj R, Wongupparaj P, Job R, Grecucci A. Narcissus reflected: Grey and white matter features joint contribution to the default mode network in predicting narcissistic personality traits. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:3273-3291. [PMID: 38649337 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Despite the clinical significance of narcissistic personality, its neural bases have not been clarified yet, primarily because of methodological limitations of the previous studies, such as the low sample size, the use of univariate techniques and the focus on only one brain modality. In this study, we employed for the first time a combination of unsupervised and supervised machine learning methods, to identify the joint contributions of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) to narcissistic personality traits (NPT). After preprocessing, the brain scans of 135 participants were decomposed into eight independent networks of covarying GM and WM via parallel ICA. Subsequently, stepwise regression and Random Forest were used to predict NPT. We hypothesized that a fronto-temporo parietal network, mainly related to the default mode network, may be involved in NPT and associated WM regions. Results demonstrated a distributed network that included GM alterations in fronto-temporal regions, the insula and the cingulate cortex, along with WM alterations in cerebellar and thalamic regions. To assess the specificity of our findings, we also examined whether the brain network predicting narcissism could also predict other personality traits (i.e., histrionic, paranoid and avoidant personalities). Notably, this network did not predict such personality traits. Additionally, a supervised machine learning model (Random Forest) was used to extract a predictive model for generalization to new cases. Results confirmed that the same network could predict new cases. These findings hold promise for advancing our understanding of personality traits and potentially uncovering brain biomarkers associated with narcissism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khanitin Jornkokgoud
- Department of Research and Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Teresa Baggio
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Richard Bakiaj
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Peera Wongupparaj
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - Remo Job
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Centre for Medical Sciences (CISMed), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ash S, Greenwood D, Keenan JP. The Neural Correlates of Narcissism: Is There a Connection with Desire for Fame and Celebrity Worship? Brain Sci 2023; 13:1499. [PMID: 37891865 PMCID: PMC10605183 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Objective: Narcissism is characterized by emotional regulation deficits, a lack of empathy for others, and extreme self-focus. Narcissism has also been linked to an increased desire for fame and celebrity worship. Here, the neuroscience underlying narcissism is examined in order to determine what regions and networks of the brain are altered when non-narcissistic individuals are compared to participants with both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. (2) Methods: The behavioral relationships between grandiose narcissism and desire for fame and vulnerable narcissism and celebrity worship are explored, along with a possible relationship at the neural level between these constructs. In this paper, we review research demonstrating that increased levels of grandiose narcissism are associated with an increase in obsession with fame, while vulnerable narcissism is associated with celebrity worship. (3) Results: Based on current data, the frontal regions underlie narcissism and also likely underlie celebrity worship and desire for fame. This tenuous conclusion is based on a limited number of studies. (4) Conclusions: The brain areas associated with grandiose narcissism may be associated with an intense desire for fame as well, while brain regions associated with vulnerable narcissism may be similar in celebrity worshipers. Future research studies on the brain that are specifically designed to test these relationships at a neurological level are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Ash
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Montclair State University, 320 Science Hall, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
| | - Dara Greenwood
- Department of Psychology, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA
| | - Julian Paul Keenan
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Montclair State University, 320 Science Hall, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Schmidt L, Pfarr JK, Meller T, Evermann U, Nenadić I. Structural connectivity of grandiose versus vulnerable narcissism as models of social dominance and subordination. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16098. [PMID: 37752194 PMCID: PMC10522767 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41098-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Social dominance and subordination have been linked to fronto-limbic and fronto-thalamic networks and are related to phenotypes such as grandiose vs. vulnerable narcissistic traits. The latter have been linked to clinical features such as empathy and emotional regulation. In this study we tested the hypotheses that narcissistic traits are associated with white matter integrity in fasciculus uncinate, cingulum, and anterior thalamic radiation (ATR). We applied the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) to assess narcissistic traits in a sample of 267 psychiatrically healthy individuals. We used 3 T MRI to acquire Diffusion Tensor Imaging data for analysis with TBSS in FSL applying TFCE to test for correlations of fractional anisotropy (FA) and PNI scales. We detected a significant positive correlation of PNI total and FA in the right posterior cingulum. PNI Vulnerability was significantly correlated with FA in the left anterior and right posterior cingulum. We did not find overall correlations with PNI Grandiosity, but additional analyses showed significant effects with FA of ATR. Our results strengthen network models for narcissism underlying both personality variation and pathology. Especially associations of narcissistic vulnerability within fronto-limbic tracts suggest overlaps within neural correlates of related phenotypes like neuroticism, social subordination, and negative emotionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Schmidt
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Julia-Katharina Pfarr
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tina Meller
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ulrika Evermann
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Igor Nenadić
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
- Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Traynor JM, Wrege JS, Walter M, Ruocco AC. Dimensional personality impairment is associated with disruptions in intrinsic intralimbic functional connectivity. Psychol Med 2023; 53:1323-1333. [PMID: 34376260 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721002865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently proposed alternative dimensional models of personality disorder (PD) place the severity of impairments in self and interpersonal functioning at the core of personality pathology. However, associations of these impairments with disturbances in social, cognitive, and affective brain networks remain uninvestigated. METHODS The present study examined patterns of resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in a sample of 74 age- and sex-matched participants (45 inpatients with PD and 29 healthy controls). At a minimum, PD patients carried a diagnosis of borderline PD, although the majority of the sample had one or more additional PDs. rsFC patterns in the following networks were compared between groups and in association with dimensional personality impairments: default mode network (DMN)/core mentalization, frontolimbic, salience, and central executive. Further, the extent to which variation in rsFC was explained by levels of personality impairment as compared to typology-specific borderline PD symptom severity was explored. RESULTS Relative to controls, the PD group showed disruptions in rsFC within the DMN/core mentalization and frontolimbic networks. Among PD patients, greater severity of dimensional self-interpersonal impairment was associated with stronger intralimbic rsFC. In contrast, severity of borderline PD-specific typology was not associated with any rsFC patterns. CONCLUSIONS Disruptions in core mentalization and affective networks are present in PD. Higher intralimbic functional connectivity may underlie self-interpersonal personality impairment in PD regardless of diagnostic typology-specific PD symptoms, providing initial neurobiological evidence supporting alternative dimensional conceptualizations of personality pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenna M Traynor
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Johannes S Wrege
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marc Walter
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anthony C Ruocco
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Nenadić I. Narcissistic Traits and Executive Functions. Front Psychol 2021; 12:707887. [PMID: 34790143 PMCID: PMC8591048 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.707887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several personality disorders have been associated with cognitive impairment, including executive functions like working memory. Yet, it is unclear whether subclinical expression in non-clinical persons is associated with cognitive functioning. Recent studies indicate that non-clinical subjects might, in fact, perform better with increasing moderate to mild expressions of narcissistic features. We tested working memory performance in a cohort of n=70 psychiatrically and neurologically healthy subjects using Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS/WIE) subtests Arithmetic, Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing, and assessed narcissistic features using three different inventories: the widely used Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), as well as two clinically used measures of narcissistic traits and states, respectively, derived from schema-focused therapy, i.e., the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) entitlement/grandiosity subscale and the Schema Mode Inventory (SMI) self-aggrandizer subscale. In accordance with our hypothesis, we found nominally significant positive correlations of WIE Arithmetic performance with NPI total score (Spearman's rho=0.208; p=0.043) and SMI self-aggrandizer scale (Spearman's rho=0.231; p=0.027), but findings did not survive false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment for multiple comparisons (pFDR=0.189 and pFDR=0.243, respectively). While our findings add to recent studies on cognitive performance in subclinical narcissism, they fail to demonstrate an association of cognitive performance with narcissistic traits across multiple working memory tests, indicating the need for additional study, including complementary executive functions in larger cohorts and ranges of phenotype expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igor Nenadić
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Silvestro M, Tessitore A, Caiazzo G, Scotto di Clemente F, Trojsi F, Cirillo M, Esposito F, Tedeschi G, Russo A. Disconnectome of the migraine brain: a "connectopathy" model. J Headache Pain 2021; 22:102. [PMID: 34454429 PMCID: PMC8400754 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-021-01315-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the past decades a plethora of studies has been conducted to explore resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) of the brain networks in migraine with conflicting results probably due to the variability and susceptibility of signal fluctuations across the course of RS-FC scan. On the other hand, the structural substrates enabling the functional communications among the brain connectome, characterized by higher stability and reproducibility, have not been widely investigated in migraine by means of graph analysis approach. We hypothesize a rearrangement of the brain connectome with an increase of both strength and density of connections between cortical areas specifically involved in pain perception, processing and modulation in migraine patients. Moreover, such connectome rearrangement, inducing an imbalance between the competing parameters of network efficiency and segregation, may underpin a mismatch between energy resources and demand representing the neuronal correlate of the energetically dysfunctional migraine brain. METHODS We investigated, using diffusion-weighted MRI imaging tractography-based graph analysis, the graph-topological indices of the brain "connectome", a set of grey matter regions (nodes) structurally connected by white matter paths (edges) in 94 patients with migraine without aura compared to 91 healthy controls. RESULTS We observed in migraine patients compared to healthy controls: i) higher local and global network efficiency (p < 0.001) and ii) higher local and global clustering coefficient (p < 0.001). Moreover, we found changes in the hubs topology in migraine patients with: i) posterior cingulate cortex and inferior parietal lobule (encompassing the so-called neurolimbic-pain network) assuming the hub role and ii) fronto-orbital cortex, involved in emotional aspects, and visual areas, involved in migraine pathophysiology, losing the hub role. Finally, we found higher connection (edges) probability between cortical nodes involved in pain perception and modulation as well as in cognitive and affective attribution of pain experiences, in migraine patients when compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001). No correlations were found between imaging and clinical parameters of disease severity. CONCLUSION The imbalance between the need of investing resources to promote network efficiency and the need of minimizing the metabolic cost of wiring probably represents the mechanism underlying migraine patients' susceptibility to triggers. Such changes in connectome topography suggest an intriguing pathophysiological model of migraine as brain "connectopathy".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Silvestro
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Tessitore
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Caiazzo
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Scotto di Clemente
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Institute for Diagnosis and Care 'Hermitage-Capodimonte', Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Trojsi
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Mario Cirillo
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Esposito
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Gioacchino Tedeschi
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Institute for Diagnosis and Care 'Hermitage-Capodimonte', Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Russo
- Headache Center, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy. .,MRI Research Centre SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy. .,Institute for Diagnosis and Care 'Hermitage-Capodimonte', Naples, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Narcissistic personality traits and prefrontal brain structure. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15707. [PMID: 34344930 PMCID: PMC8333046 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94920-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Narcissistic traits have been linked to structural and functional brain networks, including the insular cortex, however, with inconsistent findings. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that subclinical narcissism is associated with variations in regional brain volumes in insular and prefrontal areas. We studied 103 clinically healthy subjects, who were assessed for narcissistic traits using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI, 40-item version) and received high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging. Voxel-based morphometry was used to analyse MRI scans and multiple regression models were used for statistical analysis, with threshold-free cluster enhancement (TFCE). We found significant (p < 0.05, family-wise error FWE corrected) positive correlations of NPI scores with grey matter in multiple prefrontal cortical areas (including the medial and ventromedial, anterior/rostral dorsolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, subgenual and mid-anterior cingulate cortices, insula, and bilateral caudate nuclei). We did not observe reliable links to particular facets of NPI-narcissism. Our findings provide novel evidence for an association of narcissistic traits with variations in prefrontal and insular brain structure, which also overlap with previous functional studies of narcissism-related phenotypes including self-enhancement and social dominance. However, further studies are needed to clarify differential associations to entitlement vs. vulnerable facets of narcissism.
Collapse
|
8
|
Jauk E, Kanske P. Can neuroscience help to understand narcissism? A systematic review of an emerging field. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 4:e3. [PMID: 34124536 PMCID: PMC8170532 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2021.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Narcissism is a Janusian personality construct, associated with both grandiose self-assuredness and dominance, as well as vulnerable insecurity and reactivity. Central questions of intra- and interpersonal functioning in narcissism are still a matter of debate. Neuroscience could help to understand the paradoxical patterns of experience and behavior beyond the limitations of self-reports. We provide a systematic review of 34 neuroscience studies on grandiose, vulnerable, pathological narcissism, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), spanning experimental investigations of intra- and interpersonal mechanisms, research on neurophysiological and neuroendocrine aspects of baseline function, and brain structural correlates. While neuroscience has scarcely directly studied vulnerable narcissism, grandiose narcissism is associated with heightened vigilance to ego threat and stress responses following ego threat, as well as heightened stress indicators in baseline measures. Such responses are not commonly observed in self-reports, highlighting the potential of neuroscience to augment our understanding of self-regulatory dynamics in narcissism. Interpersonal functioning is characterized by deficits in social-affective processes. Both involve altered activity within the salience network, pointing to a double dissociation regarding the expression of narcissism and self/other oriented situational focus. Findings are summarized in an integrative model providing testable hypotheses for future research along with methodological recommendations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Jauk
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Oxytocin modulates the effective connectivity between the precuneus and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 270:567-576. [PMID: 30734090 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-00989-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Our social activity is heavily influenced by the process of introspection, with emerging research suggesting a role for the Default Mode Network (DMN) in social cognition. We hypothesize that oxytocin, a neuropeptide with an important role in social behaviour, can effectively alter the connectivity of the DMN. We test this hypothesis using a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled trial where 15 healthy male participants received 24 IU oxytocin or placebo prior to a resting-state functional MRI scan. We used Granger Causality Analysis for the first time to probe the role of oxytocin on brain networks and found that oxytocin reverses the pattern of effective connectivity between the bilateral precuneus and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), a key central executive network (CEN) region. Under placebo, the bilateral precuneus exerted a significant negative causal influence on the left dlPFC and the left dlPFC exerted a significant positive causal influence on the bilateral precuneus. However, under oxytocin, these patterns were reversed, i.e. positive causal influence from the bilateral precuneus to the left dlPFC and negative causal influence from the left dlPFC to the bilateral precuneus (with statistically significant effects for the right precuneus). We propose that these oxytocin-induced effects could be a mechanistic process by which it modulates social cognition. These results provide a measurable target for the physiological effects of oxytocin in the brain and offer oxytocin as a potential agent to enhance the cooperative role of the predominantly 'task-inactive' 'default mode' brain regions in both healthy and patient populations.
Collapse
|
10
|
Stam D, Huang YA, Van den Stock J. Non-overlapping and Inverse Associations Between the Sexes in Structural Brain-Trait Associations. Front Psychol 2019; 10:904. [PMID: 31105624 PMCID: PMC6491880 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Personality reflects the set of psychological traits and mechanisms characteristic for an individual. The brain-trait association between personality and gray matter volume (GMv) has been well studied. However, a recent study has shown that brain structure-personality relationships are highly dependent on sex. In addition, the present study investigates the role of sex on the association between temperaments and regional GMv. Sixty-six participants (33 male) completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and underwent structural magnetic resonance brain imaging. Mann-Whitney U tests showed a significant higher score on Novelty Seeking (NS) and Reward Dependence (RD) for females, but no significant group effects were found for Harm Avoidance (HA) and Persistence (P) score. Full factor model analyses were performed to investigate sex-temperament interaction effects on GMv. This revealed increased GMv for females in the superior temporal gyrus when linked to NS, middle temporal gyrus for HA, and the insula for RD. Males displayed increased GMv compared to females relating to P in the posterior cingulate gyrus, the medial superior frontal gyrus, and the middle cingulate gyrus, compared to females. Multiple regression analysis showed clear differences between the brain regions that correlate with female subjects and the brain correlates that correlate with male subjects. No overlap was observed between sex-specific brain-trait associations. These results increase the knowledge of the role of sex on the structural neurobiology of personality and indicate that sex differences reflect structural differences observed in the normal brain. Furthermore, sex hormones seem an important underlying factor for the found sex differences in brain-trait associations. The present study indicates an important role for sex in these brain structure-personality relationships, and implies that sex should not just be added as a covariate of no interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daphne Stam
- Laboratory for Translational Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yun-An Huang
- Laboratory for Translational Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Van den Stock
- Laboratory for Translational Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Geriatric Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Brain and Emotion Laboratory, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review aims to give an overview on the current literature on sex differences in personality disorders and to highlight the potential of dimensional approaches. RECENT FINDINGS Empirical findings on sex differences in personality disorders are inconsistent and appear to be highly dependent on study settings. Current studies have mainly focused on borderline and antisocial personality disorder and the question whether these are sex-specific representations of a common substrate. In general, sexes differ in the manifestation of personality disorders as well as in comorbidities. Criticism of the established categorical model led to an additional dimensional model of personality disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Investigations on sex differences in personality disorders are sparse and mainly limited to antisocial and borderline personality disorder. The introduction of a dimensional model offers the chance to re-think the construct of "personality disorder" and thereby also opens the possibility for a better understanding of sex differences.
Collapse
|
12
|
Feng C, Yuan J, Geng H, Gu R, Zhou H, Wu X, Luo Y. Individualized prediction of trait narcissism from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:3701-3712. [PMID: 29749072 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Narcissism is one of the most fundamental personality traits in which individuals in general population exhibit a large heterogeneity. Despite a surge of interest in examining behavioral characteristics of narcissism in the past decades, the neurobiological substrates underlying narcissism remain poorly understood. Here, we addressed this issue by applying a machine learning approach to decode trait narcissism from whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC). Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data were acquired for a large sample comprising 155 healthy adults, each of whom was assessed for trait narcissism. Using a linear prediction model, we examined the relationship between whole-brain RSFC and trait narcissism. We demonstrated that the machine-learning model was able to decode individual trait narcissism from RSFC across multiple neural systems, including functional connectivity between and within limbic and prefrontal systems as well as their connectivity with other networks. Key nodes that contributed to the prediction model included the amygdala, prefrontal and anterior cingulate regions that have been linked to trait narcissism. These findings remained robust using different validation procedures. Our findings thus demonstrate that RSFC among multiple neural systems predicts trait narcissism at the individual level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunliang Feng
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyang Geng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruolei Gu
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xia Wu
- College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuejia Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Center for Emotion and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
- Depatment of Psychology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Nostro AD, Müller VI, Varikuti DP, Pläschke RN, Hoffstaedter F, Langner R, Patil KR, Eickhoff SB. Predicting personality from network-based resting-state functional connectivity. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:2699-2719. [PMID: 29572625 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1651-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Personality is associated with variation in all kinds of mental faculties, including affective, social, executive, and memory functioning. The intrinsic dynamics of neural networks underlying these mental functions are reflected in their functional connectivity at rest (RSFC). We, therefore, aimed to probe whether connectivity in functional networks allows predicting individual scores of the five-factor personality model and potential gender differences thereof. We assessed nine meta-analytically derived functional networks, representing social, affective, executive, and mnemonic systems. RSFC of all networks was computed in a sample of 210 males and 210 well-matched females and in a replication sample of 155 males and 155 females. Personality scores were predicted using relevance vector machine in both samples. Cross-validation prediction accuracy was defined as the correlation between true and predicted scores. RSFC within networks representing social, affective, mnemonic, and executive systems significantly predicted self-reported levels of Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Openness. RSFC patterns of most networks, however, predicted personality traits only either in males or in females. Personality traits can be predicted by patterns of RSFC in specific functional brain networks, providing new insights into the neurobiology of personality. However, as most associations were gender-specific, RSFC-personality relations should not be considered independently of gender.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra D Nostro
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. .,Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. .,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Veronika I Müller
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Deepthi P Varikuti
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Rachel N Pläschke
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Felix Hoffstaedter
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Langner
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Kaustubh R Patil
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1,7), Research Centre Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hoertel N, Peyre H, Lavaud P, Blanco C, Guerin-Langlois C, René M, Schuster JP, Lemogne C, Delorme R, Limosin F. Examining sex differences in DSM-IV-TR narcissistic personality disorder symptom expression using Item Response Theory (IRT). Psychiatry Res 2018; 260:500-507. [PMID: 29291575 PMCID: PMC6002876 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The limited published literature on the subject suggests that there may be differences in how females and males experience narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) symptoms. The aim of this study was to use methods based on item response theory to examine whether, when equating for levels of NPD symptom severity, there are sex differences in the likelihood of reporting DSM-IV-TR NPD symptoms. We conducted these analyses using a large, nationally representative sample from the USA (n=34,653), the second wave of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). There were statistically and clinically significant sex differences for 2 out of the 9 DSM-IV-TR NPD symptoms. We found that males were more likely to endorse the item 'lack of empathy' at lower levels of narcissistic personality disorder severity than females. The item 'being envious' was a better indicator of NPD severity in males than in females. There were no clinically significant sex differences on the remaining NPD symptoms. Overall, our findings indicate substantial sex differences in narcissistic personality disorder symptom expression. Although our results may reflect sex-bias in diagnostic criteria, they are consistent with recent views suggesting that narcissistic personality disorder may be underpinned by shared and sex-specific mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Hoertel
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Western Paris University Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; INSERM UMR 894, Psychiatry and Neurosciences Center, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Hugo Peyre
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Robert Debré Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Paris, France; Cognitive Sciences and Psycholinguistic Laboratory, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Lavaud
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Western Paris University Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
| | - Carlos Blanco
- Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, ML, USA
| | - Christophe Guerin-Langlois
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Western Paris University Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Margaux René
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Western Paris University Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Schuster
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Western Paris University Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; Service of Old Age Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Prilly, Switzerland
| | - Cédric Lemogne
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Western Paris University Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; INSERM UMR 894, Psychiatry and Neurosciences Center, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Robert Debré Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Limosin
- Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), Western Paris University Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; INSERM UMR 894, Psychiatry and Neurosciences Center, Paris, France; Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Li H, Lu J. The Neural Association between Tendency to Forgive and Spontaneous Brain Activity in Healthy Young Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:561. [PMID: 29209186 PMCID: PMC5701943 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The tendency to forgive (TTF) refers to one’s global dispositional level of forgiveness across situations and relationships. Previous brain imaging studies examined activation patterns underlying forgiving process, yet the association between individual differences in the TTF and spontaneous brain activity at resting-state remains unknown. In this study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate the correlation between the TTF and spontaneous brain activity in a young adult sample. Participants were 178 young students (55 men) who completed the TTF scale and underwent a resting-state fMRI scan. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between the regional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and TTF scores corrected for age and sex. Results showed that the ALFF value in the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), precuneus and inferior parietal lobule (IPL) were negatively associated with TTF scores. These findings suggest that the spontaneous brain activity of brain regions like the dmPFC, precuneus and IPL which are implicated in mentalizing and empathic response are associated with individual differences in the TTF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haijiang Li
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiamei Lu
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
de Beaurepaire R. Imagerie cérébrale et déconstruction de l’esprit. EVOLUTION PSYCHIATRIQUE 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evopsy.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|