Understanding neuroticism by integrating genetics and structural brain network connectivity

Neuroticism is a key personality domain, describing the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anxiety, irritability, worry, anger, guilt, and loneliness (Goldberg, 1993). It is included in major personality taxonomies like the Big Five (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and has significant public health implications (Widiger & Oltmanns, 2017). High neuroticism is linked to mental disorders (Malouff et al., 2005), physical diseases (Smith & MacKenzie, 2006), and even to mortality and diminished longevity (Lahey, 2009). Further, neuroticism negatively affects job performance, job satisfaction (Judge & Bono, 2001), relationship contentment (Malouff et al., 2010), and overall quality of life (Ozer & Benet-Martínez, 2006). While significant research has explored the biological mechanisms underlying individual differences in neuroticism, a comprehensive understanding remains elusive. However, recent advances in neuroscientific and genetic methodologies have opened promising new avenues for studying the neurobiological foundation of this trait. The here proposed project will build on established findings and combine recent advances in neuroscience and genetics to achieve a more refined understanding of individual differences in neuroticism.