Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insights

IntroductionSelf-esteem (SE) can significantly affect individual well-being and has been linked to various psychiatric conditions. SE involves cognitive and emotional regulation within a social context. Prior research focusing on young adults has indicated neural correlations in prefrontal cortex ar...

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Main Authors: Morio Aki, Mami Shibata, Yoshihisa Fujita, Michael Spantios, Kei Kobayashi, Tsukasa Ueno, Takashi Miyagi, Sayaka Yoshimura, Naoya Oishi, Toshiya Murai, Hironobu Fujiwara
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Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Neuroscience
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1588567/full
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author Morio Aki
Mami Shibata
Yoshihisa Fujita
Michael Spantios
Kei Kobayashi
Tsukasa Ueno
Tsukasa Ueno
Takashi Miyagi
Sayaka Yoshimura
Sayaka Yoshimura
Sayaka Yoshimura
Naoya Oishi
Toshiya Murai
Hironobu Fujiwara
Hironobu Fujiwara
Hironobu Fujiwara
author_facet Morio Aki
Mami Shibata
Yoshihisa Fujita
Michael Spantios
Kei Kobayashi
Tsukasa Ueno
Tsukasa Ueno
Takashi Miyagi
Sayaka Yoshimura
Sayaka Yoshimura
Sayaka Yoshimura
Naoya Oishi
Toshiya Murai
Hironobu Fujiwara
Hironobu Fujiwara
Hironobu Fujiwara
author_sort Morio Aki
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionSelf-esteem (SE) can significantly affect individual well-being and has been linked to various psychiatric conditions. SE involves cognitive and emotional regulation within a social context. Prior research focusing on young adults has indicated neural correlations in prefrontal cortex areas but presented inconsistent findings. Our study expanded this to a broader age range and covariates, and examined the influence of subthreshold depression, emphasizing the functional role of the dorsolateral (dlPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortices (vlPFC) and cerebellum in social cognition and emotional regulation of social exclusion.MethodsWe conducted resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging analyses on 114 participants to investigate the neural correlates of self-esteem.ResultsWe found that high SE correlated with robust functional connectivity between the left dlPFC and posterior cerebellum. Associations between the left dlPFC and right lingual gyrus, the right vlPFC and insula were FDR-survived, along with diminished connectivity between the left vlPFC, angular gyri, and thalamus.DiscussionThese results not only support our hypothesis regarding the dual role of SE—which includes its social cognitive role in avoiding social exclusion and its emotional resilience in enduring such exclusion—but also suggest a potential link with rumination.
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spelling doaj-art-d1d95d607cc24194a511386fc39f7ee82025-08-20T01:52:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2025-05-011910.3389/fnins.2025.15885671588567Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insightsMorio Aki0Mami Shibata1Yoshihisa Fujita2Michael Spantios3Kei Kobayashi4Tsukasa Ueno5Tsukasa Ueno6Takashi Miyagi7Sayaka Yoshimura8Sayaka Yoshimura9Sayaka Yoshimura10Naoya Oishi11Toshiya Murai12Hironobu Fujiwara13Hironobu Fujiwara14Hironobu Fujiwara15Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanIntegrated Clinical Education Center, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanAdvanced Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanOrganization for the Promotion of Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, JapanHuman Brain Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanArtificial Intelligence Ethics and Society Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, Tokyo, JapanThe General Research Division, Osaka University Research Center on Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues, Kyoto, JapanIntroductionSelf-esteem (SE) can significantly affect individual well-being and has been linked to various psychiatric conditions. SE involves cognitive and emotional regulation within a social context. Prior research focusing on young adults has indicated neural correlations in prefrontal cortex areas but presented inconsistent findings. Our study expanded this to a broader age range and covariates, and examined the influence of subthreshold depression, emphasizing the functional role of the dorsolateral (dlPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortices (vlPFC) and cerebellum in social cognition and emotional regulation of social exclusion.MethodsWe conducted resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging analyses on 114 participants to investigate the neural correlates of self-esteem.ResultsWe found that high SE correlated with robust functional connectivity between the left dlPFC and posterior cerebellum. Associations between the left dlPFC and right lingual gyrus, the right vlPFC and insula were FDR-survived, along with diminished connectivity between the left vlPFC, angular gyri, and thalamus.DiscussionThese results not only support our hypothesis regarding the dual role of SE—which includes its social cognitive role in avoiding social exclusion and its emotional resilience in enduring such exclusion—but also suggest a potential link with rumination.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1588567/fullself-esteemresting state functional magnetic resonance imagingcerebellumdorsolateral prefrontal corticesventrolateral prefrontal cortices
spellingShingle Morio Aki
Mami Shibata
Yoshihisa Fujita
Michael Spantios
Kei Kobayashi
Tsukasa Ueno
Tsukasa Ueno
Takashi Miyagi
Sayaka Yoshimura
Sayaka Yoshimura
Sayaka Yoshimura
Naoya Oishi
Toshiya Murai
Hironobu Fujiwara
Hironobu Fujiwara
Hironobu Fujiwara
Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insights
Frontiers in Neuroscience
self-esteem
resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging
cerebellum
dorsolateral prefrontal cortices
ventrolateral prefrontal cortices
title Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insights
title_full Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insights
title_fullStr Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insights
title_full_unstemmed Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insights
title_short Neural basis of self-esteem: social cognitive and emotional regulation insights
title_sort neural basis of self esteem social cognitive and emotional regulation insights
topic self-esteem
resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging
cerebellum
dorsolateral prefrontal cortices
ventrolateral prefrontal cortices
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1588567/full
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