Individual intelligence and brain neural correlates associated with outcome expectancies for risk behaviors in adults

Abstract

Although adults have matured developments of general intelligence, brain structure and brain function, many people continue to be risk takers, despite the harm that can result. The neural basis underlying risk-taking behaviors has been studied extensively in adolescents, but less so in adults. Outcome expectancies are important factors influencing individuals’ risk behaviors, which comprise the expected risks (ER) and expected benefits (EB) associated with risk behaviors. In the current study, we systematically investigated inter-individual differences in adults’ outcome expectancies for risk behaviors, considering the general intelligence, brain function, and brain structure. At the intelligence level, individuals with higher intelligence scores showed lower ER but higher EB associated with risk behaviors. At the brain function level, resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between regions within the default mode network is negatively correlated with ER but positively correlated with EB associated with risk behaviors, while FC between the insula and motor cortex is negatively correlated with EB associated with the risk behaviors. At the brain structure level, gray matter volume in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and bilateral parahippocampus were negatively correlated with the ER associated with risk behaviors. Furthermore, the relationship between the outcome expectancy associated with risk behaviors and the FC between anterior cingulate cortex and PCC is partially mediated by the general intelligence. The current study provides new insight that furthers our understanding of how individual differences in adults’ risk attitudes and behaviors are modulated by general intelligence and reflected in resting-state FC and brain structures related to self-reference and inhibitory control processing.