Open AccessRegional gray matter density associated with emotional intelligence: Evidence from voxel‐based morphometry
Author(s) -
Takeuchi Hikaru,
Taki Yasuyuki,
Sassa Yuko,
Hashizume Hiroshi,
Sekiguchi Atsushi,
Fukushima Ai,
Kawashima Ryuta
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.21122
Subject(s) - precuneus , psychology , cuneus , voxel based morphometry , intrapersonal communication , insula , prefrontal cortex , ventromedial prefrontal cortex , cognition , developmental psychology , neuroscience , interpersonal communication , social psychology , magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , white matter , radiology
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to monitor one's own and others' emotions and the ability to use the gathered information to guide one's thinking and action. EI is thought to be important for social life making it a popular subject of research. However, despite the existence of previous functional imaging studies on EI, the relationship between regional gray matter morphology and EI has never been investigated. We used voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) and a questionnaire (Emotional Intelligence Scale) to measure EI to identify the gray matter correlates of each factor of individual EI (Intrapersonal factor, Interpersonal factor, Situation Management factor). We found significant negative relationships between the Intrapersonal factor and regional gray matter density (rGMD) (1‐a) in an anatomical cluster that included the right anterior insula, (1‐b) in the right cerebellum, (1‐c) in an anatomical cluster that extends from the cuneus to the precuneus, (1‐d) and in an anatomical cluster that extends from the medial prefrontal cortex to the left lateral fronto‐polar cortex. We also found significant positive correlations between the Interpersonal factor and rGMD in the right superior temporal sulcus, and significant negative correlations between the Situation Management factor and rGMD in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that each factor of EI in healthy young people is related to the specific brain regions known to be involved in the networks of social cognition and self‐related recognition, and in the somatic marker circuitry. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.