Distinct patterns of thought mediate the link between brain functional connectomes and well-being.

Deniz Vatansever,Elizabeth Jefferies,Daniel S Margulies,Jonathan Smallwood,Theodoros Karapanagiotidis

doi:10.1162/netn_a_00137

Abstract

Ongoing thought patterns constitute important aspects of both healthy and abnormal human cognition. However, the neural mechanisms behind these daily experiences and their contribution to well-being remain a matter of debate. Here, using resting-state fMRI and retrospective thought sampling in a large neurotypical cohort (n = 211), we identified two distinct patterns of thought, broadly describing the participants’ current concerns and future plans, that significantly explained variability in the individual functional connectomes. Consistent with the view that ongoing thoughts are an emergent property of multiple neural systems, network-based analysis highlighted the central importance of both unimodal and transmodal cortices in the generation of these experiences. Importantly, while state-dependent current concerns predicted better psychological health, mediating the effect of functional connectomes, trait-level future plans were related to better social health, yet with no mediatory influence. Collectively, we show that ongoing thoughts can influence the link between brain physiology and well-being.

Highlights

Recent advances in functional magnetic resonance imaging methods and data analysis techniques have facilitated a new era in the characterization of the neural representations that underlie human cognition and behavior (Barch, 2013)
In the analysis of a large neurotypical sample (n = 211), we found differential profiles of functional interactions among multiple neural systems that explained individual variation among two distinct patterns of thought, broadly corresponding to the participants’ current concerns and future plans
With the aim of investigating the differential influence of distinct thought patterns on the link between brain functional network topology and mental well-being, we collected 9 min of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from a large cohort of neurotypical participants (n = 211) during a period of wakeful rest. This neural measure was complemented with a session of retrospective thought sampling, administered immediately after the resting-state scanning, as well as self-assessed ratings of psychological and social well-being on a cross-culturally validated questionnaire from the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) group (WHOQOL Group, 1998), collected outside the scanner in a separate behavioral session

Summary

Introduction

Recent advances in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methods and data analysis techniques have facilitated a new era in the characterization of the neural representations that underlie human cognition and behavior (Barch, 2013). Research from psychology suggests that the ability to self-generate patterns of cognition is a core element of our mental lives, occupying a considerable portion of our daily mentation (Antrobus, Singer, & Greenberg, 1966; Klinger, 1971; Singer & Antrobus, 1963) These thoughts are prevalent in situations with low external demands, such as periods of wakeful rest (Smallwood, Nind, & O’Connor, 2009), that is, the conditions when resting-state functional data are most commonly recorded. This body of evidence underlines the vital importance of both stable and transient thought patterns in our daily mentation and their variable influence on our psychological and social well-being

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