title: Individual differences in common factors of emotional traits and executive functions predict functional connectivity of the amygdala.
abstract: Evidence suggests that individual differences in emotion control are associated with frontoparietal-limbic networks and linked to emotional traits and executive functions. In a first attempt to directly target the link between emotional traits and executive functions using resting-state fMRI analysis, 43 healthy adults completed a test battery including executive tasks and emotional trait self-assessments that were subjected to a principal component analysis. Of the three factors detected, two explained 40.4% of the variance and were further investigated. Both factors suggest a relation between emotional traits and executive functions. Specifically, the first factor consisted of measures related to inhibitory control and negative affect, and the second factor was related to reward and positive affect. To investigate whether this interplay between emotional traits and executive functions is reflected in neural connectivity, we used resting-state fMRI to explore the functional connectivity of the amygdala as a starting point, and progressed to other seed-based analyses based on the initial findings. We found that the first factor predicted the strength of connectivity between brain regions known to be involved in the cognitive control of emotion, including the amygdala and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, whereas the second factor predicted the strength of connectivity between brain regions known to be involved in reward and attention, including the amygdala, the caudate and the thalamus. These findings suggest that individual differences in the ability to inhibit negative affect are mediated by prefrontal-limbic pathways, while the ability to be positive and use rewarding information is mediated by a network that includes the amygdala and thalamostriatal regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Mind-Brain Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt University of Berlin, Luisenstrasse 56, 10117 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: crohr@cbs.mpg.de.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rohr
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Brain Language Laboratory, Department of Philosophy and Humanities, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Aderka
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Mind-Brain Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt University of Berlin, Luisenstrasse 56, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Max Planck Research Group Neuroanatomy & Connectivity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Margulies
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, J. W. Goethe University Hospital, Schleusenweg 2-16, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frisch
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Mind-Brain Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt University of Berlin, Luisenstrasse 56, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villringer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Mind-Brain Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt University of Berlin, Luisenstrasse 56, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel. Electronic address: hadasos@psy.haifa.ac.il.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okon-Singer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D063132:Connectome / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012647:Self-Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Amygdala; Emotional traits; Executive functions; Prefrontal cortex; Principal component analysis; Resting-state fMRI