Individual differences in resting-state functional connectivity with the executive network: support for a cerebellar role in anxiety vulnerability.
This study characterized cerebellar connectivity with executive intrinsic functional connectivity networks. Using seed regions at the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (dlPFC) and right orbital frontoinsula, we measured resting-state brain connectivity in healthy college-aged participants. Based on the previous research demonstrating a relationship between the cerebellum and self-report measures of behavioral inhibition, we assessed individual differences in connectivity between groups. Overall, intrinsic activity in cerebellar lobule VIII was significantly correlated with the executive network and cerebellar Crus I with the salience network. Between-group comparisons indicated stronger cerebellar connectivity with the executive network in behaviorally inhibited individuals. Intrinsic activity in Crus I, a region previously implicated in non-motor cerebellar functions, significantly correlated with intrinsic activity in the right dlPFC seed region. These findings support a growing number of studies demonstrating cerebellar influence on higher cognitive processes, extending this relationship to individual differences in anxiety vulnerability.
['Caulfield|Meghan D|MD|', 'Zhu|David C|DC|', 'McAuley|J Devin|JD|', 'Servatius|Richard J|RJ|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D001007:Anxiety D001921:Brain D001931:Brain Mapping D002531:Cerebellum D056344:Executive Function D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007206:Individuality D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging D008297:Male D009434:Neural Pathways D017397:Prefrontal Cortex D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales D055815:Young Adult
Resting-state functional connectivity Executive network Anxiety vulnerability Cerebellum Behavioral inhibition