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. 2024 Aug;92(4):948-956.
doi: 10.1111/jopy.12858. Epub 2023 Jun 13.

Behavioral adjustment moderates the effect of neuroticism on brain volume relative to intracranial volume

Qinggang Yu  1 , Stacey M Schaefer  2 , Richard J Davidson  2 , Shinobu Kitayama  1
Affiliations

Behavioral adjustment moderates the effect of neuroticism on brain volume relative to intracranial volume

Qinggang Yu et al. J Pers. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: The present study examined whether the effect of neuroticism on brain structure is moderated by behavioral adjustment.

Background: Neuroticism is widely thought to be harmful to health. However, recent work using proinflammatory biomarkers showed that this effect depends on behavioral adjustment, the willingness and ability to adjust and cope with environmental contingencies, such as different opinions of others or unpredictable life situations. Here, we sought to extend this observation to "brain health" by testing total brain volume (TBV).

Method: Using a community sample of 125 Americans, we examined structural magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and quantified TBV. We tested whether the effect of neuroticism on TBV was moderated by behavioral adjustment, net of intracranial volume, age, sex, educational achievement, and race.

Results: Behavioral adjustment significantly moderated the effect of neuroticism on TBV, such that neuroticism was associated with lower TBV only when behavioral adjustment was low. There was no such effect when behavioral adjustment was high.

Conclusion: The present findings suggest that neuroticism is not debilitating to those who constructively cope with stress. Implications are further discussed.

Keywords: behavioral adjustment; brain volume; neuroticism.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Pearson correlation coefficient of all continuous variables in the present study (n = 125).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
A scatterplot showing the negative correlation (zero-order) between neuroticism and total brain volume (in liters).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Mean value of total brain volume (in liters) as a function of neuroticism (±1 SD around the mean) and behavioral adjustment (at the mean and ±1 SD around the mean), after adjusting for covariates.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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