Connectome-based prediction of decreased trust propensity in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Yiqi Chen; Hao He; Yiyang Ding; Wuhai Tao; Qing Guan; Frank Krueger

doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120605

Connectome-based prediction of decreased trust propensity in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Neuroimage. 2024 Apr 15:292:120605. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120605. Epub 2024 Apr 12.

Authors

Yiqi Chen¹, Hao He², Yiyang Ding³, Wuhai Tao⁴, Qing Guan⁵, Frank Krueger⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim 68131, Germany.
² School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China.
³ School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
⁴ School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China. Electronic address: taowh@szu.edu.cn.
⁵ School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China. Electronic address: guanqing@szu.edu.cn.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Mannheim, Mannheim 68131, Germany; School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fair, VA, USA.

PMID: 38615705
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120605

Abstract

Trust propensity (TP) relies more on social than economic rationality to transform the perceived probability of betrayal into positive reciprocity expectations in older adults with normal cognition. While deficits in social rationality have been observed in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), there is limited research on TP and its associated resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) mechanisms in this population. To measure TP and related psychological functions (affect, motivation, executive cognition, and social cognition), MCI (n = 42) and normal healthy control (NHC, n = 115) groups completed a one-shot trust game and additional assessments of related psychological functions. RSFC associated with TP was analyzed using connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) and lesion simulations. Our behavioral results showed that the MCI group trusted less (i.e., had lower TP) than the NHC group, with lower TP associated with higher sensitivity to the probability of betrayal in the MCI group. In the MCI group, only negative CPM models (RSFC negatively correlated with TP) significantly predicted TP, with a high salience network (SN) contribution. In contrast, in the NHC group, positive CPM models (RSFC positively correlated with TP) significantly predicted TP, with a high contribution from the default mode network (DMN). In addition, the total network strength of the NHC-specific positive network was lower in the MCI group than in the NHC group. Our findings demonstrated a decrease in TP in the MCI group compared to the NHC group, which is associated with deficits in social rationality (social cognition, associated with DMN) and increased sensitivity to betrayal (affect, associated with SN) in a trust dilemma. In conclusion, our study contributes to understanding MCI-related alterations in trust and their underlying neural mechanisms.

Keywords: Intrinsic functional connectivity; Mild cognitive impairment; Neuroeconomics; Social dilemmas; Trust.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Aged
Brain / diagnostic imaging
Brain / physiopathology
Cognitive Dysfunction* / diagnostic imaging
Cognitive Dysfunction* / physiopathology
Connectome* / methods
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Male
Middle Aged
Nerve Net / diagnostic imaging
Nerve Net / physiopathology
Trust*