Brain dynamics and personality: a preliminary study

Francesco Ciaramella; Lorenzo Cipriano; Emahnuel Troisi Lopez; Arianna Polverino; Fabio Lucidi; Giuseppe Sorrentino; Laura Mandolesi; Pierpaolo Sorrentino; Francesco Ciaramella; Lorenzo Cipriano; Emahnuel Troisi Lopez; Arianna Polverino; Fabio Lucidi; Giuseppe Sorrentino; Laura Mandolesi; Pierpaolo Sorrentino

doi:10.3934/Neuroscience.2024030

AIMS Neuroscience

2024, Volume 11, Issue 4: 490-504. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2024030

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Research article

Brain dynamics and personality: a preliminary study

1.
Department of Motor and Wellness Sciences, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy
2.
NeapoliSanit Rehabilitation Center, Ottaviano (NA), 80044 Naples, Italy
3.
Department of Education and Sport Sciences, Pegaso Telematic University, 80143 Naples, Italy
4.
ICS Maugeri Hermitage Napoli, 80145 Naples, Italy
5.
Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University of Roma “Sapienza”, 00185 Rome, Italy
6.
Forensic Science and Social Governance Disciplinary Innovation Base of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, 430073, Wuhan, China
7.
Department Humanities, University of Naples “Federico” II, 80133 Naples, Italy
8.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
9.
Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Inserm, INS, Aix-Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
Francesco Ciaramella and Lorenzo Cipriano contributed equally to this work as “first authors”.

Received: 10 September 2024 Revised: 02 December 2024 Accepted: 09 December 2024 Published: 12 December 2024

Personality can be considered a system characterized by complex dynamics that are extremely adaptive depending on continuous interactions with the environment and situations. The present preliminary study explores the dynamic interplay between brain flexibility and personality by taking the dynamic approach to personality into account, thereby drawing from Cloninger's psychobiological model. 46 healthy individuals were recruited, and their brain dynamics were assessed using magnetoencephalography (MEG) during the resting state. We identified brain activation patterns and measured brain flexibility by employing the theory of neuronal avalanches. Subsequent correlation analyses revealed a significant positive association between brain flexibility and cooperativeness, thus highlighting the role of brain reconfiguration tendencies in fostering openness, tolerance, and empathy towards others. Additionally, this preliminary finding suggests a neurobiological basis for adaptive social behaviors. Although the results are preliminary, this study provides initial insights into the intricate relationship between brain dynamics and personality, thus laying the groundwork for further research in this emerging field using a dynamic network analysis of the functional activity of the brain.
- brain flexibility,
- temperament and character inventory,
- neuronal avalanches,
- magnetoencephalography (MEG),
- cooperativeness
Citation: Francesco Ciaramella, Lorenzo Cipriano, Emahnuel Troisi Lopez, Arianna Polverino, Fabio Lucidi, Giuseppe Sorrentino, Laura Mandolesi, Pierpaolo Sorrentino. Brain dynamics and personality: a preliminary study[J]. AIMS Neuroscience, 2024, 11(4): 490-504. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2024030

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Abstract

Personality can be considered a system characterized by complex dynamics that are extremely adaptive depending on continuous interactions with the environment and situations. The present preliminary study explores the dynamic interplay between brain flexibility and personality by taking the dynamic approach to personality into account, thereby drawing from Cloninger's psychobiological model. 46 healthy individuals were recruited, and their brain dynamics were assessed using magnetoencephalography (MEG) during the resting state. We identified brain activation patterns and measured brain flexibility by employing the theory of neuronal avalanches. Subsequent correlation analyses revealed a significant positive association between brain flexibility and cooperativeness, thus highlighting the role of brain reconfiguration tendencies in fostering openness, tolerance, and empathy towards others. Additionally, this preliminary finding suggests a neurobiological basis for adaptive social behaviors. Although the results are preliminary, this study provides initial insights into the intricate relationship between brain dynamics and personality, thus laying the groundwork for further research in this emerging field using a dynamic network analysis of the functional activity of the brain.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the European Union “Next Generation EU” (Investimento 3.1, M4, C2), Project IR0000011, EBRAINS-Italy of PNRR; ACCORDI PER INNOVAZIONE. Approccio User-friendly integrato per Diagnosi, Assistenza e Cura Efficaci - AUDACE. CUP: B69J23006050007

Conflict of interest

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Availability of data

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Authors' contributions

All authors designed the research. Francesco Ciaramella, Lorenzo Cipriano, Emahnuel Troisi Lopez, and Arianna Polverino performed the research. Emahnuel Troisi Lopez and Pierpaolo Sorrentino analyzed the data. Francesco Ciaramella, Lorenzo Cipriano, Pierpaolo Sorrentino and Laura Mandolesi wrote the paper. All authors read, revised, and approved the final manuscript.

Ethics approval

The study was approved by Ethical Committee of Psychological Research of the Department of Humanities of the University of Naples Federico II (n prot 11/2020) and was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

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