Gray-Matter Expansion of Social Brain Networks in Individuals High in Public Self-Consciousness.

Tomoyo Morita,Eiichi Naito,Minoru Asada

doi:10.3390/brainsci11030374

Tomoyo Morita, Eiichi Naito + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11030374

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Abstract

Self-consciousness is a personality trait associated with an individual’s concern regarding observable (public) and unobservable (private) aspects of self. Prompted by previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, we examined possible gray-matter expansions in emotion-related and default mode networks in individuals with higher public or private self-consciousness. One hundred healthy young adults answered the Japanese version of the Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS) questionnaire and underwent structural MRI. A voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed that individuals scoring higher on the public SCS showed expansions of gray matter in the emotion-related regions of the cingulate and insular cortices and in the default mode network of the precuneus and medial prefrontal cortex. In addition, these gray-matter expansions were particularly related to the trait of “concern about being evaluated by others”, which was one of the subfactors constituting public self-consciousness. Conversely, no relationship was observed between gray-matter volume in any brain regions and the private SCS scores. This is the first study showing that the personal trait of concern regarding public aspects of the self may cause long-term substantial structural changes in social brain networks.

Highlights

Self-consciousness is one of the personality traits that influences and determines one’s social attitudes and behaviors
In the region of interest (ROI) analysis, we examined the possibility of existence of subfactors of public self-consciousness that were associated with the GM expansions identified in the whole-brain analysis
A significant cluster of voxels showing a positive correlation with the score was identified in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)/middle cingulate cortex (MCC) and precuneus/cuneus ROIs (SVC, p < 0.05)

Summary

Introduction

Self-consciousness is one of the personality traits that influences and determines one’s social attitudes and behaviors. To measure the degree to which individuals engage in selfconsciousness, the Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS) questionnaire [1,2,3], originally developed by Fenigstein et al, has been widely used. It has been reported that individuals with a higher level of public self-consciousness tend to score high on SCS items such as “I am usually aware of my appearance” and “I am concerned about myself in the eyes of others”. Such people are concerned about their own appearance and behaviors but are more sensitive and reactive to others’

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