The Reflection of Self-Esteem on the Brain Structure: A Voxel Based Morphometry Study in Healthy Young Adults.

Introduction: Low self-esteem is a known risk factor for mental illnesses. Neuroimaging studies have identified evidence for a functional association between default mode network (DMN) and self-esteem levels. However, it is not clear whether there is a similar association between trait self-esteem and the structures composing DMN. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the DMN associated brain structures and trait self-esteem. Methods: We obtained 3T structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 75 healthy subjects and detected anatomical regions correlated with their Rosenberg Self-Esteem scores via voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Results: We found positive associations between self-esteem and regional grey matter volumes in the right temporoparietal junction/inferior parietal lobule (BA 39), cortical midline regions at precuneus/dorsal cingulate cortex (BA 31), rostral and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices (BA 32). Conclusion: The results of the current study support the fMRI studies suggesting self-esteem levels associated with DMN. Further neuroimaging studies should consider the functional and structural coupling of the default mode network during the execution of the functions related to self-esteem.

Brain areas associated with resilience to depression in high-risk young women.

Previous structural brain-imaging studies in first-degree relatives of depressed patients showed alterations that are generally accepted as vulnerability markers for depression. However, only half of the relatives had depression at follow-up, while the other half did not. The aim of this study was to identify the brain areas associated with resilience to depression in high-risk subjects with familial depression. We recruited 59 young women with a history of depressed mothers. Twenty-nine of them (high-risk group [HRG]) had no depression history, while 30 (depressive group) had at least 1 depressive episode in adolescence. The brain structures of the groups were compared through voxel-based morphometry and analysis of cortical thickness. Individual amygdala nuclei and hippocampal subfield volumes were measured. The analysis showed larger amygdala volume, thicker subcallosal cortex and bilateral insula in the women in the HRG compared with those in the depressive group. In addition, we detected more gray matter in the left temporal pole in the HRG. The larger gray matter volume and increased cortical thickness in the key hub regions of the salience network (amygdala and insula) and structurally connected regions in the limbic network (subcallosal area and temporal pole) might prevent women in the HRG from converting to depression.