Structural integrity of frontostriatal connections predicts longitudinal changes in self-esteem

Abstract

Diverse neurological and psychiatric conditions are marked by a diminished sense of positive self-regard, and reductions in self-esteem are associated with risk for these disorders. Recent evidence has shown that the connectivity of frontostriatal circuitry reflects individual differences in self-esteem. However, it remains an open question as to whether the integrity of these connections can predict self-esteem changes over larger timescales. Using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and probabilistic tractography, we demonstrate that the integrity of white matter pathways linking the medial prefrontal cortex to the ventral striatum predicts changes in self-esteem 8 months after initial scanning in a sample of 30 young adults. Individuals with greater integrity of this pathway during the scanning session at Time 1 showed increased levels of self-esteem at follow-up, whereas individuals with lower integrity showed stifled or decreased levels of self-esteem. These results provide evidence that frontostriatal white matter integrity predicts the trajectory of self-esteem development in early adulthood, which may contribute to blunted levels of positive self-regard seen in multiple psychiatric conditions, including depression and anxiety.

Keywords: Self-esteem; diffusion tensor imaging; medial prefrontal cortex; ventral striatum.

Figure 1

Density curves showing the distribution of self-esteem scores at Time 1 and Time 2. Self-esteem scores spread toward both ends of the distribution over time, indicating that some individuals experienced increased self-esteem, while others experienced decreased self-esteem.

Figure 2

Cross-subject probabilistic tractography results displaying bilateral MPFC to ventral striatum white matter tracts reveal a robust anatomical connection between these regions. Slices are marked with MNI coordinates.

Figure 3

Scatterplots depicting the relationship of frontostriatal white matter integrity and the difference between self-esteem from Time 1 to Time 2. Bilateral frontostriatal integrity predicted the change in self-esteem from Time 1 to Time 2. Warm colors indicate individuals whose self-esteem increased from Time 1 to Time 2; cool colors indicate individuals whose self-esteem decreased.

Figure 4

The results of the mediation analyses indicating that white matter integrity has a significant partial mediation of the relationship between self-esteem scores at Time 1 and Time 2. (A) Consistent with the correlational analyses, results from the left hemisphere showed the strongest mediation effects between the two hemispheres. (B) Results of the mediation analysis in right hemisphere were significant but weaker than in the left.