The influence of relationship closeness on default-mode network connectivity during social interactions

Abstract Reciprocated trust plays a critical role in forming and maintaining relationships, and has consistently been shown to implicate neural circuits involved in reward-related processing and social cognition. Less is known about neural network connectivity during social interactions involving trust, however, particularly as a function of closeness between an investor and a trustee. We examined network reactivity and connectivity in participants who played an economic trust game with close friends, strangers and a computer. Network reactivity analyses showed enhanced activation of the default-mode network (DMN) to social relative to non-social outcomes. A novel network psychophysiological interaction (nPPI) analysis revealed enhanced connectivity between the DMN and the superior frontal gyrus and superior parietal lobule when experiencing reciprocated vs violated trust from friends relative to strangers. Such connectivity tracked with differences in self-reported social closeness with these partners. Interestingly, reactivity of the executive control network (ECN), involved in decision processes, demonstrated no social vs non-social preference, and ECN-ventral striatum connectivity did not track social closeness. Taken together, these novel findings suggest that DMN interacts with components of attention and control networks to signal the relative importance of positive experiences with close others vs strangers.

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The influence of relationship closeness on default-mode network connectivity during social interactions

10.1101/815274 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Dominic S. Fareri ◽

David V. Smith ◽

Mauricio R. Delgado

Keyword(s):

Social Interactions ◽

Social Preference ◽

Computer Network ◽

Interaction Analysis ◽

Critical Role ◽

Network Connectivity ◽

Trust Game ◽

Relationship Closeness ◽

Social Closeness ◽

Psychophysiological Interaction

AbstractReciprocated trust plays a critical role in forming and maintaining relationships, and has consistently been shown to implicate neural circuits involved in reward-related processing and social cognition. Less is known about neural network connectivity during social interactions involving trust, however, particularly as a function of closeness between an investor and a trustee. We examined network reactivity and connectivity in participants who played an economic trust game with close friends, strangers and a computer. Network reactivity analyses showed enhanced activation of the DMN to social relative to non-social outcomes. A novel network psychophysiological interaction analysis (nPPI) revealed enhanced connectivity between the DMN and the superior frontal gyrus and superior parietal lobule when experiencing reciprocated vs. violated trust from friends relative to strangers. Such connectivity tracked with differences in self-reported social closeness with these partners. Interestingly, reactivity of the executive control network (ECN), involved in decision processes, demonstrated no social vs. non-social preference, and ECN-ventral striatum (VS) connectivity did not track social closeness. Taken together, these novel findings suggest that DMN interacts with components of attention and control networks to signal the relative importance of positive experiences with close others vs. strangers.

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Age-Related Differences in Ventral Striatal and Default Mode Network Function During Reciprocated Trust

10.1101/2021.07.29.454071 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dominic S. Fareri ◽

Katherine Hackett ◽

Lindsey J. Tepfer ◽

Victoria A. Kelly ◽

Nicole Henninger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Default Mode Network ◽

Trust Game ◽

Opposite Pattern ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Temporoparietal Junction ◽

Default Mode ◽

Network Function ◽

Social Closeness ◽

Age Related

Social relationships change across the lifespan as social networks narrow and motivational priorities shift to the present. Interestingly, aging is also associated with changes in executive function, including decision-making abilities, but it remains unclear how age-related changes in both domains interact to impact financial decisions involving other people. To study this problem, we recruited 50 human participants (N_younger = 26, ages 18-34; N_older = 24, ages 63-80) to play an economic trust game as the investor with three partners (friend, stranger, and computer) who played the role of investee. Investors underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the trust game while investees were seated outside of the scanner. Building on our previous work with younger adults showing both enhanced striatal responses and altered default-mode network (DMN) connectivity as a function of social closeness during reciprocated trust, we predicted that these relations would exhibit age-related differences. We found that striatal responses to reciprocated trust from friends relative to strangers and computers were blunted in older adults relative to younger adults, thus supporting our primary pre-registered hypothesis regarding social closeness. We also found that older adults exhibited enhanced DMN connectivity with the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) during reciprocated trust from friends compared to computers while younger adults exhibited the opposite pattern. Taken together, these results advance our understanding of age-related differences in sensitivity to social closeness in the context of trusting others.

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Revisiting default mode network function in major depression: evidence for disrupted subsystem connectivity

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291713002596 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 44 (10) ◽

pp. 2041-2051 ◽

Cited By ~ 71

Author(s):

F. Sambataro ◽

N. D. Wolf ◽

M. Pennuto ◽

N. Vasic ◽

R. C. Wolf

Keyword(s):

Default Mode Network ◽

Resting State ◽

Large Scale ◽

Critical Role ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Network Connectivity ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Default Mode ◽

Network Function ◽

Functional Relevance

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by alterations in brain function that are identifiable also during the brain's ‘resting state’. One functional network that is disrupted in this disorder is the default mode network (DMN), a set of large-scale connected brain regions that oscillate with low-frequency fluctuations and are more active during rest relative to a goal-directed task. Recent studies support the idea that the DMN is not a unitary system, but rather is composed of smaller and distinct functional subsystems that interact with each other. The functional relevance of these subsystems in depression, however, is unclear.MethodHere, we investigated the functional connectivity of distinct DMN subsystems and their interplay in depression using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsWe show that patients with MDD exhibit increased within-network connectivity in posterior, ventral and core DMN subsystems along with reduced interplay from the anterior to the ventral DMN subsystems.ConclusionsThese data suggest that MDD is characterized by alterations of subsystems within the DMN as well as of their interactions. Our findings highlight a critical role of DMN circuitry in the pathophysiology of MDD, thus suggesting these subsystems as potential therapeutic targets.

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