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Cosme D, Mobasser A, Pfeifer JH. If you're happy and you know it: neural correlates of self-evaluated psychological health and well-being. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad065. [PMID: 37930824 PMCID: PMC10684270 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad065] [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: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychological health and well-being have important implications for individual and societal thriving. Research underscores the subjective nature of well-being, but how do individuals intuit this subjective sense of well-being in the moment? This pre-registered study addresses this question by examining the neural correlates of self-evaluated psychological health and their dynamic relationship with trial-level evaluations. Participants (N = 105) completed a self-evaluation task and made judgments about three facets of psychological health and positive functioning-self-oriented well-being, social well-being and ill-being. Consistent with pre-registered hypotheses, self-evaluation elicited activity in the default mode network, and there was strong spatial overlap among constructs. Trial-level analyses assessed whether and how activity in a priori regions of interest-perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum-were related to subjective evaluations. These regions explained additional variance in whether participants endorsed or rejected items but were differentially related to evaluations. Stronger activity in pgACC was associated with a higher probability of endorsement across constructs, whereas stronger activity in vmPFC was associated with a higher probability of endorsing ill-being items, but a lower probability of endorsing self-oriented and social well-being items. These results add nuance to neurocognitive accounts of self-evaluation and extend our understanding of the neurobiological basis of subjective psychological health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Cosme
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Arian Mobasser
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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Kim M, Shin S, Jyung M, Choi JA, Choi I, Kim MJ, Sul S. Corticolimbic structural connectivity encapsulates real-world emotional reactivity and happiness. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad056. [PMID: 37837288 PMCID: PMC10642377 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad056] [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: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Emotional reactivity to everyday events predicts happiness, but the neural circuits underlying this relationship remain incompletely understood. Here, we combined experience sampling methods and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging to examine the association among corticolimbic structural connectivity, real-world emotional reactivity and daily experiences of happiness from 79 young adults (35 females). Participants recorded momentary assessments of emotional and happiness experiences five times a day for a week, approximately 2 weeks after brain scanning. Model-based emotional reactivity scores, which index the degree to which moment-to-moment affective state varies with the occurrence of positive or negative events, were computed. Results showed that stronger microstructural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus and the external capsule was associated with both greater positive and negative emotional reactivity scores. The relationship between these fiber tracts and experienced happiness was explained by emotional reactivity. Importantly, this indirect effect was observed for emotional reactivity to positive but not negative real-world events. Our findings suggest that the corticolimbic circuits supporting socioemotional functions are associated with emotional reactivity and happiness in the real world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mijin Kim
- Department of Psychology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
| | - Sunghyun Shin
- Department of Psychology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
| | - Mina Jyung
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul 088826, South Korea
| | - Jong-An Choi
- Department of Psychology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, South Korea
| | - Incheol Choi
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul 088826, South Korea
| | - M. Justin Kim
- Department of Psychology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 03063, South Korea
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Sunhae Sul
- Department of Psychology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
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3
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Winter A, Gruber M, Thiel K, Flinkenflügel K, Meinert S, Goltermann J, Winter NR, Borgers T, Stein F, Jansen A, Brosch K, Wroblewski A, Thomas-Odenthal F, Usemann P, Straube B, Alexander N, Jamalabadi H, Nenadić I, Bonnekoh LM, Dohm K, Leehr EJ, Opel N, Grotegerd D, Hahn T, van den Heuvel MP, Kircher T, Repple J, Dannlowski U. Shared and distinct structural brain networks related to childhood maltreatment and social support: connectome-based predictive modeling. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4613-4621. [PMID: 37714950 PMCID: PMC10914611 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02252-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment (CM) has been associated with changes in structural brain connectivity even in the absence of mental illness. Social support, an important protective factor in the presence of childhood maltreatment, has been positively linked to white matter integrity. However, the shared effects of current social support and CM and their association with structural connectivity remain to be investigated. They might shed new light on the neurobiological basis of the protective mechanism of social support. Using connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM), we analyzed structural connectomes of N = 904 healthy adults derived from diffusion-weighted imaging. CPM predicts phenotypes from structural connectivity through a cross-validation scheme. Distinct and shared networks of white matter tracts predicting childhood trauma questionnaire scores and the social support questionnaire were identified. Additional analyses were applied to assess the stability of the results. CM and social support were predicted significantly from structural connectome data (all rs ≥ 0.119, all ps ≤ 0.016). Edges predicting CM and social support were inversely correlated, i.e., positively correlated with CM and negatively with social support, and vice versa, with a focus on frontal and temporal regions including the insula and superior temporal lobe. CPM reveals the predictive value of the structural connectome for CM and current social support. Both constructs are inversely associated with connectivity strength in several brain tracts. While this underlines the interconnectedness of these experiences, it suggests social support acts as a protective factor following adverse childhood experiences, compensating for brain network alterations. Future longitudinal studies should focus on putative moderating mechanisms buffering these adverse experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Winter
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Marius Gruber
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Katharina Thiel
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Kira Flinkenflügel
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Susanne Meinert
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Janik Goltermann
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nils R Winter
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Tiana Borgers
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Frederike Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Jansen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Core-Facility Brainimaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Brosch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Adrian Wroblewski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Florian Thomas-Odenthal
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Paula Usemann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Straube
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Nina Alexander
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hamidreza Jamalabadi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Igor Nenadić
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Linda M Bonnekoh
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Katharina Dohm
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Elisabeth J Leehr
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nils Opel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Dominik Grotegerd
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Tim Hahn
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Martijn P van den Heuvel
- Connectome Lab, Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tilo Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jonathan Repple
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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Dang C, Wang Y, Li Q, Lu Y. Neuroimaging modalities in the detection of Alzheimer's disease-associated biomarkers. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2023; 3:kkad009. [PMID: 38666112 PMCID: PMC11003434 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkad009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Neuropathological changes in AD patients occur up to 10-20 years before the emergence of clinical symptoms. Specific diagnosis and appropriate intervention strategies are crucial during the phase of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD. The detection of biomarkers has emerged as a promising tool for tracking the efficacy of potential therapies, making an early disease diagnosis, and prejudging treatment prognosis. Specifically, multiple neuroimaging modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography, optical imaging, and single photon emission-computed tomography, have provided a few potential biomarkers for clinical application. The MRI modalities described in this review include structural MRI, functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and arterial spin labelling. These techniques allow the detection of presymptomatic diagnostic biomarkers in the brains of cognitively normal elderly people and might also be used to monitor AD disease progression after the onset of clinical symptoms. This review highlights potential biomarkers, merits, and demerits of different neuroimaging modalities and their clinical value in MCI and AD patients. Further studies are necessary to explore more biomarkers and overcome the limitations of multiple neuroimaging modalities for inclusion in diagnostic criteria for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Dang
- Department of Periodical Press, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Yanchao Wang
- Department of Neurology, Chifeng University of Affiliated Hospital, Chifeng 024000, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yaoheng Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Chengdu Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital, Chengdu 610000, China
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Kokubun K, Nemoto K, Yamakawa Y. Brain conditions mediate the association between aging and happiness. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4290. [PMID: 35277535 PMCID: PMC8915763 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
As the population ages, the realization of a long and happy life is becoming an increasingly important issue in many societies. Therefore, it is important to clarify how happiness and the brain change with aging. In this study, which was conducted with 417 healthy adults in Japan, the analysis showed that fractional anisotropy (FA) correlated with happiness, especially in the internal capsule, corona radiata, posterior thalamic radiation, cingulum, and superior longitudinal fasciculus. According to previous neuroscience studies, these regions are involved in emotional regulation. In psychological studies, emotional regulation has been associated with improvement in happiness. Therefore, this study is the first to show that FA mediates the relationship between age and subjective happiness in a way that bridges these different fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Kokubun
- Open Innovation Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. .,Smart-Aging Research Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Kiyotaka Nemoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Yamakawa
- Open Innovation Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,ImPACT Program of Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (Cabinet Office, Government of Japan), Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.,Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan.,Office for Academic and Industrial Innovation, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.,Brain Impact, Kyoto, Japan
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