Hemisphericity and personality

Association between emotional intelligence and effective brain connectome: A large-scale spectral DCM study

INTRODUCTION

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a well-documented aspect of social and interpersonal functioning, but the underlying neural mechanisms for this capacity remain poorly understood. Here we used advanced brain connectivity techniques to explore the associations between EI and effective connectivity (EC) within four functional brain networks.

METHODS

The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) was used to collect EI data from 55 healthy individuals (mean age = 30.56±8.3 years, 26 males). The MSCEIT comprises two area cores - experiential EI (T1) and strategic EI (T2). The T1 core included two sub-scales - perception of emotions (S1) and using emotions to facilitate thinking (S2), and the T2 core included two sub-scales - understanding of emotions (S3) and management of emotions (S4). All participants underwent structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) scans. The spectral dynamic causal modeling approach was implemented to estimate EC within four networks of interest - the default-mode network (DMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), control-execution network (CEN) and salience network (SN). The strength of EC within each network was correlated with the measures of EI, with correlations at p_FDR < 0.05 considered as significant.

RESULTS

There was no significant association between any of the measures of EI and EC strength within the DMN and DAN. For CEN, however, we found that there were significant negative associations between EC strength from the right anterior prefrontal cortex (RAPFC) to the left anterior prefrontal cortex (LAPFC) and both S2 and T1, and significant positive associations between EC strength from LAPFC to RAPFC and S2. EC strength from the right superior parietal cortex (SPC) to RAPFC also showed significant negative association with S4 and T2. For the SN, S3 showed significant negative association with EC strength from the right insula to RAPFC and significant positive association with EC strength from the left insula to dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC).

CONCLUSIONS

We provide evidence that the negative ECs within the right hemisphere, and from the right to left hemisphere, and positive ECs within the left hemisphere and from the left to right hemisphere of CEN (involving bilateral frontal and right parietal region) and SN (involving right frontal, anterior cingulate and bilateral insula) play a significant role in regulating and processing emotions. These findings also suggest that measures of EC can be utilized as important biomarkers to better understand the underlying neural mechanisms of EI.

Human personality reflects spatio-temporal and time-frequency EEG structure

The reliable and objective assessment of intelligence and personality has been a topic of increasing interest of contemporary neuroscience and psychology. It is known that intelligence can be measured by estimating the mental speed or velocity of information processing. This is usually measured as a reaction time during elementary cognitive task processing, while personality is often assessed by means of questionnaires. On the other hand, human personality affects the way a subject accomplishes elementary cognitive tasks and, therefore, some personality features can define intelligence. It is expected that these features, as well as mental abilities in performing cognitive tasks are associated with the brain's electrical neural activity. Although several studies reported correlation between event-related potentials, mental ability and intelligence, there is a lack of information about time-frequency and spatio-temporal structures of neural activity which characterize this relation. In the present work, we analyzed human electroencephalograms (EEG) recorded during the performance of elementary cognitive tasks using the Schulte test, which is a paper-pencil based instrument for assessing elementary cognitive ability or mental speed. According to particular features found of the EEG structure, we divided the subjects into three groups. For subjects in each group, we applied the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) to assess the their personality traits. We demonstrated that each group exhibited a different score on the personality scale, such as warmth, reasoning, emotional stability and dominance. Summing up, we found a link between EEG features, mental abilities and personality traits. The obtained results can be of great interest for testing human personality to create automatized intelligent programs which combine simple tests and EEG measurements for real estimation of human personality traits and mental abilities.

Temporal Lobe Signs, the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Hemispheric Quotient

Scores for the inference of Temporal Lobe Signs, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, and the Hemispheric Quotient were obtained for men and women. Moderately strong positive correlations (.70) were found between indices of complex partial epileptic-like signs and the Dissociative Experiences Scale; there were no correlations between the Hemispheric Quotient and the Dissociative Experiences Scale or Temporal Lobe Signs. However, factor-derived left hemispheric items (related to religiosity, verbal meaning, and sense of presence) and right hemispheric items (depersonalization, automatic behaviors) displayed the appropriate Hemispheric Quotient. Scores on the Dissociative Experiences Scale were most strongly correlated with the right hemispheric factor.

The sensed presence within experimental settings: implications for the male and female concept of self

The sense of "a presence" or of a sentient being during partial sensory deprivation and exposure to very weak, complex magnetic fields across the cerebral hemispheres may be a normal neurocognitive experience that is associated with the brief intrusion of the right hemispheric homologue of the left hemispheric (and strongly linguistic) sense of self into awareness. Within an optimal experimental setting, women reported more frequent experiences of a sensed presence than did men, and men were more likely than women to consider these experiences as "intrusions" from extrapersonal or ego-alien sources. Both effects were predicted by the vectorial hemisphericity hypothesis and the known neurocognitive differences between right-handed men and right-handed women. Sociobiological implications for gender differences in the probability of intercalation between distinctive processes within the left and right temporoparietal lobes are discussed.

SUBJECTIVE PSEUDOCYESIS IN NORMAL WOMEN WHO EXHIBIT ENHANCED IMAGININGS AND ELEVATED INDICATORS OF ELECTRICAL LABILITY WITHIN THE TEMPORAL LOBES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE “MISSING EMBRYO SYNDROME”

About one-fifth of 371 university women (mean age 26 years) reported that they had experienced symptoms of subjective pseudocyesis (false pregnancy). These women displayed markedly elevated indicators of complex partial seizure-like signs (particularly olfactory experiences, automatic behaviors and depersonalization), dissociative experiences, memory disruptions, hypomania, and right hemispheric arousal compared to women who did not report subjective pseudocyesis; for this phenomenon the ratio of women who were Roman Catholic vs Protestant was 8.2:1. This cluster of symptoms and experiences are very similar to those reported by women who believe their embryos have been removed after “impregnation” by non-human entities. Possible mechanisms are discussed.

Elevated incidence of a sensed presence and sexual arousal during partial sensory deprivation and sensitivity to hypnosis: implications for hemisphericity and gender differences

As predicted by the vectorial cerebral hemisphericity hypothesis, 24 normal young women reported significantly more experiences of a "presence" than did 24 normal young men within a setting that emphasized hypnosis and partial sensory deprivation. The incidence of these experiences was positively correlated with scores on Spiegel's Hypnosis Induction Profile, while the attribution of the chamber experiences to ego-alien sources was correlated with the magnitude of (Vingiano's) right hemisphericity for the women only. Both sexes exhibited a significant association between the experience of a presence and sexual arousal.

Differential ratings of pleasantness following right and left hemispheric application of low energy magnetic fields that stimulate long-term potentiation

A total of 40 normal men and women were exposed under double blind conditions for 20 min to either sham-conditions or to 1 microT (10 mG) electromagnetic fields (known to produce long-term potentiation within hippocampal slices) that were applied primarily over the right temporal lobe, over the left temporal lobe or over both temporal lobes homogeneously. The men and women who received the stimulation over the right hemisphere rated their experiences as significantly more pleasant than those who received the same stimulation over the left hemisphere [eta = 0.51]. Covariance for the variation in ambient geomagnetic activity, which was negatively correlated with pleasantness, increased the significance of the experimental treatment. The potential clinical utility of applying computer-generated local and penetrative but weak intensity complex magnetic fields over portions of the human brain is discussed.

Vectorial cerebral hemisphericity as differential sources for the sensed presence, mystical experiences and religious conversions

Multiple variants of the sensed presence often precede mystical and religious experiences that are frequently followed by sudden, permanent changes in self-concept. The model of vectorial hemisphericity assumes that the relative metabolic activity of synaptic patterns between the cerebral hemispheres at the time of transient interhemispheric intercalation determines the affect, content, and type of experience. Depending upon the relative activity of the two hemispheres, intrusions of the right hemispheric equivalent of the left hemispheric (and linguistic) sense of self generate experimental phenomena that include "evil entities," gods, out-of-body experiences, and alterations in space-time. Conditions that facilitate interhemispheric intercalation and the generation of these experiences are discussed.

Functional Hemispheric Asymmetry and Impaired vs. Optimal Psychological Functioning: Evaluation of a Model

The aim of this study was to propose and evaluate a model in which differential relationships are hypothesized between the nature and degree of functional hemispheric asymmetry (FHA), or neuropsychological differentiation on the one hand, and optimal or healthy personality functioning (OPF) vs. impaired personality functioning (IPF), on the other. FHA is operationalized by means of indices of the degree of left-hemisphere specialization for processing verbal information and the degree of right-hemisphere specialization for the recognition of emotional facial expressions. The degree of optimal personality functioning is operationalized with indices of self-actualization and autonomy, and the degree of impaired personality functioning with indices of the degree of anxiety and depression. The model was evaluated with the aid of the RAMONA program for path analysis with latent variables. The hypothesized model fits the data relatively well. A complex pattern of relationships emerged, in which specific qualities of FHA are associated with healthy vs. impaired personality functioning. From a systems perspective functional differentiation as well as functional integration seem to be important processes to consider when relationships between aspects of personality functioning and neuropsychological processes are investigated.

Right hemisphericity and low self-esteem in high school students: a replication

A total of 26 Grade 9 and 24 Grade 12 boys and girls were administered the Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaire and Vingiano's hemisphericity questionnaire. Greater right hemisphericity was associated with lower self-esteem. The strength of the effect (r = 0.52) was comparable to previous studies involving university students and supports the hypothesis that persistent input of negative affect from right hemispheric activation adversely influences the affective component of self-concept.

Relative right temporal-lobe theta activity correlates with Vingiano's hemispheric quotient and the "sensed presence"

Measures of monopolar alpha and theta rhythm activity over the left and right temporal lobes were correlated with the subjects' hemisphericity (Vingiano) scores, temporal lobe signs, and concurrent subjective experiences during partial sensory deprivation. There was a positive association (rho = .49) between the scores for right hemisphericity and the relative amount of right/left theta rhythm but not right/left alpha rhythm activity. Significant intercorrelations between right hemisphericity, an history of ego-alien intrusions and experiences of a sensed presence, "detachment from the body," and fear during the recordings were noted. These results support the hypothesis that this class of mystical experiences is encouraged by hemispheric mismatch in temporal-lobe theta activity.

Hemisphericity style and belief in ESP

108 students were classified as preferring either a style of left or right hemisphericity using Zenhausern's Preference Questionnaire. The students then completed two scales designed to measure belief in extrasensory perception (ESP). Students who scored as preferring a right style scored higher on belief in ESP than those who preferred a left style. The results are consistent with previous findings which suggest a connection between right hemisphere functions (e.g., imagery) and belief in ESP.

Right hemisphericity, low self-esteem, and unusual experiences: a response to Vingiano

Vingiano's (1992) challenge concerning the relationship between right hemisphericity, low self-esteem, mystical experiences, and religiosity can be clarified by the concept of vectorial hemisphericity. Ontogenetic intrusions of right-hemispheric processes into the left hemispheric sense of self should be experienced most frequently as an apprehensive "presence" that results in lower self-esteem. Because transient above-normal left-hemispheric activity enhances positive affect and the sense of self, concurrent right-hemispheric intrusions are experienced as mystical experiences. Religiosity would be the consequence of persistent above-normal left-temporofrontal activation that encourages the delusion. Hence, extreme conditions, such as left lateralized temporal-lobe epileptic foci, encourage both mystical and religious experiences.

Left ear (right temporal lobe) suppressions during dichotic listening, ego-alien intrusion experiences and spiritualistic beliefs in normal women

Beliefs in spiritualism, a history of a sensed presence, and mental diplopia may share a common source of psychometric variance. We hypothesized that this variance should be specifically associated with right temporal-lobe function. Inferences of temporal lobe signs, hemisphericity (Vingiano's quotient) and self-esteem as well as dichotic listening measures were obtained for 26 university women. As predicted, the numbers of left-ear suppressions (right temporal-lobe function) but not of right-ear suppressions were specifically and moderately (rho = 0.64) correlated with the intensity of Tobacyk's spiritualistic beliefs and a history of sensed presences and ego-alien intrusions. However, the negative association (rhos about -0.45) between indices of left-right hemisphericity and self-esteem was related to a separate factor.

Hemisphericity and self-esteem

The 1991 paper by Persinger and Makarec, while posing some interesting theoretical and speculative questions, misstates the magnitude of the effect size in the validation of the Hemisphericity Questionnaire and draws some unwarranted conclusions. This article briefly reviews the issues involved.

Greater right hemisphericity is associated with lower self-esteem in adults

28 men and 32 women were given Vingiano's Hemisphericity Questionnaire and the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory. People who reported the greatest numbers of right hemispheric indicators displayed the lowest self-esteem; the correlations were moderately strong (r greater than 50) for both men and women. These results support the hypothesis that the sense of self is primarily a linguistic, left-hemispheric phenomenon and that a developmental history of frequent intrusion from right-hemispheric processes can infuse the self-concept with negative affect.

The Irrationality of Greater Funding as Justification for Educators' Proliferation of Interscholastic Football

Logical analysis of interscholastic football indicates the sport is not perpetuated to win greater funding for the cause of education.

Subjective pseudocyesis (false pregnancy) and elevated temporal lobe signs: an implication

Twenty-two percent of 106 undergraduate university women reported symptoms of pseudocyesis: cessation of menstruation, abdominal enlargement, morning sickness, and breast changes. These women also displayed significant elevations in temporal lobe signs with particular involvement of putative right hemispheric processes. Women prone to pseudocyesis displayed more memory blanks, nocturnal akinesia, awareness of abdominal sensations, and exotic beliefs such as alien intelligence; the phenomenon was 10 times more frequent in Roman Catholic women than in Protestant women.