Powell Joanne L, Kemp Graham J, Dunbar Robin I M, Roberts Neil, Sluming Vanessa, García-Fiñana Marta
Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre (MARIARC), University of Liverpool, UK; Department for Biostatistics, University of Liverpool, UK; Department of Psychology, Edge Hill University, UK.
Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre (MARIARC), University of Liverpool, UK; Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, University of Liverpool, UK.
Cortex. 2014 May;54:63-76. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.02.010. Epub 2014 Feb 21.
Intentionality is the ability to explain and predict the behaviour of others by attributing to them mental states, and is thus important for social cognition. Prefrontal cortex (PFC) including orbital and dorsal regions is implicated in a range of social and metacognitive executive functions (EFs). We investigate, for the first time, in 39 left-handers and 43 right-handers the effect of handedness on the relationship between intentionality and (i) PFC volume using stereology and (ii) grey matter (GM) volume within six a priori regions of interest using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Although no association was found between degree of handedness and intentionality competence (p = .17), handedness groups differ significantly in the relationship between intentionality and PFC volume. Right-handers with handedness score =+75 (based on a range from -100 to +100) show a significant positive correlation between intentionality and orbital PFC volume (p = .01), while no significant correlation is observed for dorsal PFC volume (p = .82); and left-handers with handedness score =-75 show a significant positive correlation between intentionality and dorsal PFC volume (p = .02) while no significant correlation is observed for orbital PFC volume (p = .44). VBM results showed significantly greater GM volume correlated with intentionality in right-handers compared to left-handers (family-wise error - FWE, p < .05) in right temporo-parietal junction and superior temporal sulcus. Correlations between GM volume and intentionality were found across all subjects (FWE, p < .05) in bilateral middle frontal gyrus, superior temporal sulcus and right inferior frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and precuneus. Overall, the findings suggest that the neuroanatomy underlying intentionality competence is influenced by handedness and that different methodological approaches can and should be considered in conjunction when investigating neuroanatomical correlates of psychological functioning.
意向性是通过将心理状态归因于他人来解释和预测他人行为的能力，因此对社会认知很重要。包括眶部和背侧区域在内的前额叶皮层（PFC）与一系列社会和元认知执行功能（EFs）有关。我们首次在39名左利手者和43名右利手者中研究了利手对意向性与（i）使用体视学测量的PFC体积以及（ii）使用基于体素的形态学测量（VBM）在六个先验感兴趣区域内的灰质（GM）体积之间关系的影响。尽管未发现利手程度与意向性能力之间存在关联（p = 0.17），但利手组在意向性与PFC体积之间的关系上存在显著差异。利手得分= +75的右利手者（基于-100至+100的范围）显示意向性与眶部PFC体积之间存在显著正相关（p = 0.01），而背侧PFC体积未观察到显著相关性（p = 0.82）；利手得分= -75的左利手者显示意向性与背侧PFC体积之间存在显著正相关（p = 0.02），而眶部PFC体积未观察到显著相关性（p = 0.44）。VBM结果显示，与左利手者相比，右利手者在右侧颞顶交界区和颞上沟中，与意向性相关的GM体积显著更大（家族性错误 - FWE，p < 0.05）。在双侧额中回、颞上沟以及右侧额下回、额上回和楔前叶中，所有受试者的GM体积与意向性之间均存在相关性（FWE，p < 0.05）。总体而言，研究结果表明，意向性能力的神经解剖学基础受利手影响，并且在研究心理功能的神经解剖学相关性时，可以且应该结合考虑不同的方法学途径。
