The Common Brain Structures Correlated with Personality Traits in Healthy Mothers and Their Daughters

Abstract

ABS TRACT: The common brain structures correlated with personality traits in healthy mothers and their daughters Objective: To investigate the heritability of personality traits related to brain regions by recruiting a group of healthy mothers with their daughters. Methods: Twenty-two right handed mother-daughter pairs who gave their informed consents were included in this study. All of the participants were screened with non-patient Turkish version of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to rule out any current and past psychiatric disorder. The volunteers filled the TCI (Temperament and Character Inventory) and underwent MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) for brain imaging in consecutive days. The MRI scans of the participants were obtained during their follicular phase to control menstrual effect on brain volume. Image analysis was performed using SPM 8 software (Statistical Parametric Mapping) running in MATLAB 7. Image processing was based on the VBM-DARTEL (Voxel Based Morphometry) method. Age and total brain volume were included as confounding factors. To obtain common brain structures correlated with personality traits in both groups, group x personality dimension interaction analyses were performed. Results: The daughters had higher education years and they scored significantly higher NS (Novelty Seeking) points compared to their mothers. The correlation analyses revealed that HA (Harm Avoidance) in temperamental traits, SD (Self-Directedness) and ST (Self-Transcendence) in character traits were correlated significantly within mother-daughter pairs. The common brain structures which were significantly interacted in different personality traits were: