Neural correlates of the happy life: the amplitude of spontaneous low frequency fluctuations predicts subjective well-being

Subjective well-being is assumed to be distributed in the hedonic hotspots of subcortical and cortical structures. However, the precise neural correlates underlying this construct, especially how it is maintained during the resting state, are still largely unknown. Here, we explored the neural basis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2015-02, Vol.107, p.136-145
Main Authors: Kong, Feng, Hu, Siyuan, Wang, Xu, Song, Yiying, Liu, Jia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Affect
Amygdala
Behavior
Brain research
Cerebral Cortex - anatomy & histology
Cerebral Cortex - physiology
Cognition - physiology
Cognitive ability
Confidence intervals
Cortex (cingulate)
Emotional intelligence
Emotional Intelligence - physiology
Emotions
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
Frontal gyrus
Happiness
Humans
Individuality
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Personality
Planum temporale
Postcentral gyrus
Psychological aspects
Quality of life
Social interactions
Studies
Superior temporal gyrus
Temporal gyrus
Temporal lobe
Thalamus
Well being
Young Adult
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Summary:Subjective well-being is assumed to be distributed in the hedonic hotspots of subcortical and cortical structures. However, the precise neural correlates underlying this construct, especially how it is maintained during the resting state, are still largely unknown. Here, we explored the neural basis of subjective well-being by correlating the regional fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) with the self-reported subjective well-being of healthy individuals. Behaviorally, we demonstrated that subjective well-being contained two related but distinct components: cognitive and affective well-being. Neurally, we showed that the fALFF in the bilateral posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG), right posterior mid-cingulate cortex (pMCC), right thalamus, left postcentral gyrus (PCG), right lingual gyrus, and left planum temporale (PT) positively predicted cognitive well-being, whereas the fALFF in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG), right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) negatively predicted cognitive well-being. In contrast, only the fALFF in the right amygdala reliably predicted affective well-being. Furthermore, emotional intelligence partially mediated the effects of the right pSTG and thalamus on cognitive well-being, as well as the effect of the right amygdala on affective well-being. In summary, we provide the first evidence that spontaneous brain activity in multiple regions associated with sensation, social perception, cognition, and emotion contributes to cognitive well-being, whereas the spontaneous brain activity in only one emotion-related region contributes to affective well-being, suggesting that the spontaneous activity of the human brain reflect the efficiency of subjective well-being.
ISSN:1053-8119
1095-9572
DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.11.033