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. 2019 Aug;87(4):889-902.
doi: 10.1111/jopy.12442. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Intra-cortical myelin mediates personality differences

Nicola Toschi  1   2 , Luca Passamonti  3   4
Affiliations

Intra-cortical myelin mediates personality differences

Nicola Toschi et al. J Pers. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: Differences in myelination in the cortical mantle are important neurobiological mediators of variability in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Past studies have found that personality traits reflecting such variability are linked to neuroanatomical and functional changes in prefrontal and temporo-parietal cortices. Whether these effects are partially mediated by the differences in intra-cortical myelin remains to be established.

Method: To test this hypothesis, we employed vertex-wise intra-cortical myelin maps in n = 1,003 people from the Human Connectome Project. Multivariate regression analyses were used to test for the relationship between intra-cortical myelin and each of the five-factor model's personality traits, while accounting for age, sex, intelligence quotient, total intracranial volume, and the remaining personality traits.

Results: Neuroticism negatively related to frontal-pole myelin and positively to occipital cortex myelin. Extraversion positively related to superior parietal myelin. Openness negatively related to anterior cingulate myelin, while Agreeableness positively related to orbitofrontal myelin. Conscientiousness positively related to frontal-pole myelin and negatively to myelin content in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.

Conclusions: Intra-cortical myelin levels in brain regions with prolonged myelination are positively associated with personality traits linked to favorable outcome measures. These findings improve our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of variability in common behavioral dispositions.

Keywords: Big-Five; T1/T2-weighted ratio; individual differences; myelin; myelination.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Flechsig’s postmortem myelination map (modified from Leipsic, 1901). The number indicates the progressive order of myelination and the extent of the intra‐cortical myelin content, with higher numbers representing later myelination during development and consequently lighter local myelin content. The regions shaded in red are the brain regions with earlier myelination and higher intra‐cortical myelin content. These areas strikingly resemble the regions shown in red in B, which are those where higher T1/T2‐weighted signal was identified. (b) In vivo myelo‐architectonic map based on the T1‐/T2‐weighted signal intensity ratio in n = 1,003 participants independently of personality differences. The color bar represents the brain regions with high (red) and low (blue) intra‐cortical myelin content (median values). HCP, Human Connectome Project
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Positive and negative associations between Neuroticism and regionally specific intra‐cortical myelin content. The color bar represents the p‐values for the associations. (b) Maps of the effect sizes for the findings presented in panel (a). The color bar represents the strength of the effect sizes. IQ, intelligence quotient; TIV, total intracranial volume
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Positive and negative associations between (respectively) Extraversion and Openness and local intra‐cortical myelin content. The color bar represents the p‐values for the associations. (b) Maps of the effect sizes for the findings are presented in panel (a). The color bar represents the strength of the effect sizes. IQ, intelligence quotient; TIV, total intracranial volume
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Positive association between Agreeableness and regionally specific intra‐cortical myelin content. The color bar represents the p‐values for the association. (b) Maps of the effect sizes for the findings presented in panel (a). The color bar represents the strength of the effect sizes. IQ, intelligence quotient; TIV, total intracranial volume
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Positive and negative associations between Conscientiousness and local intra‐cortical myelin content. The color bar represents the p‐values for the association. (b) Maps of the effect sizes for the findings presented in panel (a). The color bar represents the strength of the effect sizes. IQ, intelligence quotient; TIV, total intracranial volume
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