Abstract
This meta-analysis aims to evaluate whether the extant literature justifies any definitive conclusions about whether and how SITBs may be associated with brain differences. A total of 77 papers (N = 4,903) published through January 1, 2019 that compared individuals with and without SITBs were included, resulting in 882 coordinates. A pooled meta-analysis assessing for general risk for SITBs indicated a lack of convergence on structural differences. When all types of control groups were considered, functional differences in the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), right amygdala, left hippocampus, and right thalamus were significant using multi-level kernel density analysis (pcorrected < 0.05) but nonsignificant using activation-likelihood estimation. These results suggest that a propensity for internally-oriented, emotional processing coupled with under-active pain processing could potentially underlie SITBs, but additional research is needed to test this possibility. Separate analyses for types of SITBs suggested that the brain differences associated with deliberate self-harm were consistent with the overall findings. Checkered moderator effects were detected. Overall, the meta-analytic evidence was not robust. More studies are needed to reach definitive conclusions about whether SITBs are associated with brain differences.
Highlights
Among individuals who experience SITBs, recent neuroimaging studies have found differences in multiple brain regions associated with psychological traits that confer risk for SITBs
Most of the contrasts were yielded from studies using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) (57.82%), followed by structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (22.00%), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) (11.00%), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) (6.69%), and positron emission tomography (PET) (2.49%)
The present study yielded four major findings: (1) existing neuroimaging research has not found consistent structural brain differences between populations with and without SITBs; (2) the Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) method produced no significant findings regarding functional differences, while in most inclusive analysis, the Multi-level kernel density analysis (MKDA) method produced a convergence of findings at four locations; www.nature.com/scientificreports
Summary
Among individuals who experience SITBs, recent neuroimaging studies have found differences in multiple brain regions associated with psychological traits that confer risk for SITBs. One study found this alteration in the left superior temporal lobe and left orbitofrontal cortex[18], another study solely discovered this difference in the insula and posterior cingulate regions[19], and a third study found broader altered regions including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and the parieto-occipital cortex[20] Given these inconsistent findings, does the existing literature justify any definitive conclusions about differences in brain structure or function among people with a history of SITBs?. Given the inconsistency of findings from the SITB brain imaging literature, the present meta-analyses may obtain similar findings and serve a similar function
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