Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structure
A growing body of evidence suggests that engagement in episodic future thinking (EFT) could reduce delay discounting rates. However, little is known about whether individual differences in the ability of EFT are associated with differences in delay discounting in young adults. In the present study,...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992245/full |
| _version_ | 1811239139431940096 |
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| author | Yiqun Guo Yiqun Guo Yiqun Guo Huimin Wu Zhangyong Li Le Zhao Tingyong Feng Tingyong Feng |
| author_facet | Yiqun Guo Yiqun Guo Yiqun Guo Huimin Wu Zhangyong Li Le Zhao Tingyong Feng Tingyong Feng |
| author_sort | Yiqun Guo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A growing body of evidence suggests that engagement in episodic future thinking (EFT) could reduce delay discounting rates. However, little is known about whether individual differences in the ability of EFT are associated with differences in delay discounting in young adults. In the present study, this association was tested in healthy college students (n = 106, 19.98 ± 1.56 years), and the neural basis underlying this association was also examined using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method. Behavioral analysis indicated that individual differences in EFT ability can significantly negatively predict discounting rates. VBM analysis first revealed that the EFT score positively correlated with gray matter volume (GMV) of a cluster in hippocampus, while negatively correlated with GMV of a cluster in rostral anterior cingulate cortex. We also found the GMV of a cluster in the mPFC was positively correlated with delay discounting. ROI analysis further revealed that individual differences in delay discounting could be reliably predicted by the GMV in the hippocampus and mPFC. The final mediation analysis showed that the GMV of the hippocampus plays a significant mediating role in the association between EFT and delay discounting, and the indirect effect of the hippocampal GMV accounts for 33.2% of the total effect. Our results suggest that individuals’ EFT ability may be an important determinant of differences in delay discounting, and highlight the hippocampal structure as a neural biomarker for explaining the association between EFT ability and delay discounting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:54:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-400903b7014d43c4b97eee3155078ced |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T12:54:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-400903b7014d43c4b97eee3155078ced2022-12-22T03:32:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-10-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.992245992245Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structureYiqun Guo0Yiqun Guo1Yiqun Guo2Huimin Wu3Zhangyong Li4Le Zhao5Tingyong Feng6Tingyong Feng7School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, ChinaSchool of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, ChinaFaculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, ChinaSchool of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, ChinaFaculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, ChinaFaculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, ChinaA growing body of evidence suggests that engagement in episodic future thinking (EFT) could reduce delay discounting rates. However, little is known about whether individual differences in the ability of EFT are associated with differences in delay discounting in young adults. In the present study, this association was tested in healthy college students (n = 106, 19.98 ± 1.56 years), and the neural basis underlying this association was also examined using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method. Behavioral analysis indicated that individual differences in EFT ability can significantly negatively predict discounting rates. VBM analysis first revealed that the EFT score positively correlated with gray matter volume (GMV) of a cluster in hippocampus, while negatively correlated with GMV of a cluster in rostral anterior cingulate cortex. We also found the GMV of a cluster in the mPFC was positively correlated with delay discounting. ROI analysis further revealed that individual differences in delay discounting could be reliably predicted by the GMV in the hippocampus and mPFC. The final mediation analysis showed that the GMV of the hippocampus plays a significant mediating role in the association between EFT and delay discounting, and the indirect effect of the hippocampal GMV accounts for 33.2% of the total effect. Our results suggest that individuals’ EFT ability may be an important determinant of differences in delay discounting, and highlight the hippocampal structure as a neural biomarker for explaining the association between EFT ability and delay discounting.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992245/fullepisodic future thinkingdelay discountingVBMhippocampusmediation |
| spellingShingle | Yiqun Guo Yiqun Guo Yiqun Guo Huimin Wu Zhangyong Li Le Zhao Tingyong Feng Tingyong Feng Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structure Frontiers in Psychology episodic future thinking delay discounting VBM hippocampus mediation |
| title | Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structure |
| title_full | Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structure |
| title_fullStr | Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structure |
| title_short | Episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting: The mediating role of hippocampal structure |
| title_sort | episodic future thinking predicts differences in delay discounting the mediating role of hippocampal structure |
| topic | episodic future thinking delay discounting VBM hippocampus mediation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.992245/full |
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