Neurostructural correlates of optimism: Gray matter density in the putamen predicts dispositional optimism in late adolescence

doi:10.1002/hbm.24888

. 2020 Apr 15;41(6):1459-1471.

doi: 10.1002/hbm.24888. Epub 2019 Dec 9.

Neurostructural correlates of optimism: Gray matter density in the putamen predicts dispositional optimism in late adolescence

Han Lai^{1

2

3}, Song Wang^{1

2

3}, Yajun Zhao⁴, Chen Qiu⁵, Qiyong Gong^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
³ Psychoradiology Research Unit of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁴ School of Sociology and Psychology, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China.
⁵ Department of Psychology, The Faculty of Social Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.

PMID: 31816149
PMCID: PMC7267983
DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24888

Neurostructural correlates of optimism: Gray matter density in the putamen predicts dispositional optimism in late adolescence

Han Lai et al. Hum Brain Mapp. 2020.

. 2020 Apr 15;41(6):1459-1471.

doi: 10.1002/hbm.24888. Epub 2019 Dec 9.

Authors

Han Lai^{1

2

3}, Song Wang^{1

2

3}, Yajun Zhao⁴, Chen Qiu⁵, Qiyong Gong^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
³ Psychoradiology Research Unit of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁴ School of Sociology and Psychology, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China.
⁵ Department of Psychology, The Faculty of Social Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.

PMID: 31816149
PMCID: PMC7267983
DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24888

Abstract

Dispositional optimism reflects one's generalized positive expectancies for future outcomes and plays a crucial role in personal developmental outcomes and health (e.g., counteracting related mental disorders such as depression and anxiety). Increasing evidence has suggested that extraversion is an important personality factor contributing to dispositional optimism. However, less is known about the association between dispositional optimism and brain structure and the role of extraversion in this association. Here, we examined these issues in 231 healthy high school students aged 16 to 20 years (110 males, mean age = 18.48 years, SD = 0.54) by estimating regional gray matter density (rGMD) using a voxel-based morphometry method via structural magnetic resonance imaging. Whole-brain regression analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between dispositional optimism and the rGMD of the bilateral putamen after adjusting for age, sex, family socioeconomic status (SES), general intelligence, and total gray matter volume (TGMV). Moreover, prediction analyses using fourfold balanced cross-validation combined with linear regression confirmed a significant connection between dispositional optimism and putamen density after adjusting for age, sex, and family SES. More importantly, subsequent mediation analysis showed that extraversion may account for the association between putamen density and dispositional optimism after adjusting for age, sex, family SES, general intelligence, TGMV, and the other four Big Five personality traits. Taken together, the current study provides new evidence regarding the neurostructural basis underlying dispositional optimism in adolescents and underscores the importance of extraversion as an essential personality factor for dispositional optimism acquisition.

Keywords: anxiety; depression; extraversion; magnetic resonance imaging; optimism; personality neuroscience; psychoradiology.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Brain regions related to dispositional optimism. (a) The regional gray matter density (rGMD) of the left putamen is positively associated with dispositional optimism. (b) The rGMD of the right putamen is positively associated with dispositional optimism. (c) A scatterplot showing the correlation between the left putamen and dispositional optimism. (d) A scatterplot showing the correlation between the right putamen and dispositional optimism. Age, sex, family socioeconomic status (SES), general intelligence, and total gray matter volume were adjusted in these analyses

**Figure 2**
Extraversion explains the association between the regional gray matter density (rGMD) of the putamen and dispositional optimism. The illustration demonstrates that the bilateral putamen affects dispositional optimism though extraversion. All path coefficients are shown as standard regression coefficients (a, b, c, and c′), and the indirect effect (a×b or c–c′) is significant. Age, sex, family socioeconomic status (SES), general intelligence, and total gray matter volume were adjusted in these analyses

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References

1. Adler, N. E. , Epel, E. S. , Castellazzo, G. , & Ickovics, J. R. (2000). Relationship of subjective and objective social status with psychological and physiological functioning: Preliminary data in healthy, White women. Health Psychology, 19(6), 586–592. - PubMed
1. Andersson, M. A. (2012). Dispositional optimism and the emergence of social network diversity. The Sociological Quarterly, 53(1), 92–115.
1. Ashburner, J. (2007). A fast diffeomorphic image registration algorithm. NeuroImage, 38(1), 95–113. - PubMed
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1. Ashburner, J. , & Friston, K. J. (2000). Voxel‐based morphometry‐the methods. NeuroImage, 11(6), 805–821. - PubMed

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[1] Adler, N. E. , Epel, E. S. , Castellazzo, G. , & Ickovics, J. R. (2000). Relationship of subjective and objective social status with psychological and physiological functioning: Preliminary data in healthy, White women. Health Psychology, 19(6), 586–592. - PubMed

[2] Adler, N. E. , Epel, E. S. , Castellazzo, G. , & Ickovics, J. R. (2000). Relationship of subjective and objective social status with psychological and physiological functioning: Preliminary data in healthy, White women. Health Psychology, 19(6), 586–592. - PubMed

[3] Andersson, M. A. (2012). Dispositional optimism and the emergence of social network diversity. The Sociological Quarterly, 53(1), 92–115.

[4] Andersson, M. A. (2012). Dispositional optimism and the emergence of social network diversity. The Sociological Quarterly, 53(1), 92–115.

[5] Ashburner, J. (2007). A fast diffeomorphic image registration algorithm. NeuroImage, 38(1), 95–113. - PubMed

[6] Ashburner, J. (2007). A fast diffeomorphic image registration algorithm. NeuroImage, 38(1), 95–113. - PubMed

[7] Ashburner, J. (2015). VBM Tutorial. Tech. Rep., Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, London, UK.

[8] Ashburner, J. (2015). VBM Tutorial. Tech. Rep., Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, London, UK.

[9] Ashburner, J. , & Friston, K. J. (2000). Voxel‐based morphometry‐the methods. NeuroImage, 11(6), 805–821. - PubMed

[10] Ashburner, J. , & Friston, K. J. (2000). Voxel‐based morphometry‐the methods. NeuroImage, 11(6), 805–821. - PubMed

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Neurostructural correlates of optimism: Gray matter density in the putamen predicts dispositional optimism in late adolescence

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Neurostructural correlates of optimism: Gray matter density in the putamen predicts dispositional optimism in late adolescence

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Conflict of interest statement

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