Neuroticism related differences in the functional neuroanatomical correlates of multitasking. An fMRI study

Abstract

It is known that neuroticism impairs cognitive performance mostly in difficult tasks, but not so much in easier tasks. One pervasive situation of this type is multitasking, in which the combination of two simple tasks creates a highly demanding dual-task, and consequently high neurotics show higher dual-task costs than low neurotics. However, the functional neuroanatomical correlates of these additional performance impairments in high neurotics are unknown. To test for this, we assessed brain activity by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 17 low and 15 high neurotics while they were performing a demanding dual-task and the less demanding component tasks as single-tasks. Behavioural results showed that performance (response times and error rates) was lower in the dual-task than in the single-tasks (dual-task costs), and that these dual-task costs were significantly higher in high neurotics. Imaging data showed that high neurotics showed less dual-task specific activation in lateral (mainly middle frontal gyrus) and medial prefrontal cortices. We conclude that high levels of neuroticism impair behavioural performance in demanding tasks, and that this impairment is accompanied by reduced activation of the task-associated brain areas.

Not in one metric: Neuroticism modulates different resting state metrics within distinctive brain regions

“…Alterations in structure and functional activity within the IFG in individuals with higher neuroticism were also reported by other studies and may represent the neural correlate of the reduced ability for the cognitive regulation of emotions (Bjørnebekk et al, 2013;Sosic-Vasic et al, 2012). Other studies have found alterations in connectivity and brain activity in MFG, midFG and, more generally, in the prefrontal cortex (Forbes et al, 2014;Szameitat et al, 2016;Tzschoppe et al, 2014). Alterations of the LFO metrics were also found in the DMN network confirming the relative vast literature linking DMN alterations to neuroticism (Sampaio et al, 2014;Wei et al, 2011;Wei et al, 2016).…”

“…However, we found positive correlation between REHO and neuroticism in the prefrontal cortex (SFG, MFG, MidFG), in the fusiform gyrus and in precuneus. As mentioned, the prefrontal cortex and DMN areas including the precuneus were found to be modulated by neuroticism both in resting state analysis, as well as during task (Forbes et al, 2014;Sampaio et al, 2014;Szameitat et al, 2016;Tzschoppe et al, 2014;Wei et al, 2011;Wei et al, 2016). As far as the fusiform gyrus is concerned, Kruschwitz and colleagues showed an altered amygdala-fusiform gyrus connectivity in individuals with higher neuroticism (Kruschwitz et al, 2014).…”

Neuroticism related differences in working memory tasks

“…This study also supported the idea that high neurotics invest less mental resources into the task. They showed that brain activation in the lateral-prefrontal cortex, which was specific to multitasking, was lower in high than in low neurotics [29]. Several studies used other paradigms, such as the n-back task [30], the go-no-go task [31], the delayed-response working memory task [32], and the probe task [33,34] to investigate neuroticism.…”

The Impact of Neurotic Entrepreneurship on Business Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises

“…Therefore, the level of their performance has an overwhelming impact in the economy. Neurotic entrepreneurs have increasingly negative effects on performance as the business gets harder and more complex (Szameitat, Saylik and Parton 2016). On the other hand, emotional stability has increasingly positive effects as pressure increases.…”