The vmPFC-IPL functional connectivity as the neural basis of future self-continuity impacted procrastination: the mediating role of anticipated positive outcomes.

Procrastination is universally acknowledged as a problematic behavior with wide-ranging consequences impacting various facets of individuals' lives, including academic achievement, social accomplishments, and mental health. Although previous research has indicated that future self-continuity is robustly negatively correlated with procrastination, it remains unknown about the neural mechanisms underlying the impact of future self-continuity on procrastination. To address this issue, we employed a free construction approach to collect individuals' episodic future thinking (EFT) thoughts regarding specific procrastination tasks. Next, we conducted voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis to explore the neural substrates underlying future self-continuity. Behavior results revealed that future self-continuity was significantly negatively correlated with procrastination, and positively correlated with anticipated positive outcome. The VBM analysis showed a positive association between future self-continuity and gray matter volumes in the right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Furthermore, the RSFC results indicated that the functional connectivity between the right vmPFC and the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) was positively correlated with future self-continuity. More importantly, the mediation analysis demonstrated that anticipated positive outcome can completely mediate the relationship between the vmPFC-IPL functional connectivity and procrastination. These findings suggested that vmPFC-IPL functional connectivity might prompt anticipated positive outcome about the task and thereby reduce procrastination, which provides a new perspective to understand the relationship between future self-continuity and procrastination.

Zhao X ，Zhang R ，Feng T 《Behavioral and Brain Functions》

The effect of conscientiousness on procrastination: The interaction between the self-control and motivation neural pathways.

Procrastination is a prevalent and universal problematic behavior, largely impairing individual's health, wealth and well-being. Substantial studies have confirmed that conscientiousness, one of the big five personality, showed markedly inverse relation with procrastination. However, it is hitherto unknown about the neural basis underlying the impact of conscientiousness on procrastination. To address this issue, we employed the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) methods to explore the neural substrates of conscientiousness responsible for procrastination (N = 330). In line with previous findings, the behavioral results showed a strong negative correlation between conscientiousness and procrastination (r = -.75). The VBM analysis found that conscientiousness was positively correlated with gray matter (GM) volumes in the left dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), right orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and right putamen, but negatively correlated with that in the left insula. Moreover, the RSFC results revealed that both dlPFC-IPL (inferior parietal lobule) and dlPFC-PCC (posterior cingulate gyrus) functional connectivity were positively associated with conscientiousness, while the functional connectivity of parahippocampal gyrus (PHC)-putamen and insula-IPL were negatively associated with conscientiousness. More importantly, the structural equation modeling (SEM) integrating RSFC results were well fitted for the influence process of conscientiousness on procrastination by both self-control (i.e., dlPFC-IPL, dlPFC-PCC) and motivation pathways (i.e., PHC-putamen, insula-IPL). The current findings suggest that self-control and motivation could be the two neural pathways underlying the impact of conscientiousness on procrastination, which provides a new perspective to understand the relationship between conscientiousness and procrastination.

Gao K ，Zhang R ，Xu T ，Zhou F ，Feng T ... -  《-》

Neural basis responsible for episodic future thinking effects on procrastination: The interaction between the cognitive control pathway and emotional processing pathway.

Theories on procrastination have proposed that the trade-off between the episodic future thinking (EFT) of positive outcome and negative engagement determines whether to procrastinate. Yet, the neural substrates underlying EFT affects procrastination remain poorly understood. Thus, we adopt a free construction method to obtain individuals' EFT thoughts toward procrastination tasks, and coded these thoughts based on the 2 (emotional valence: positive vs negative) × 2 (imaginary direction: outcome vs engagement) model of EFT (2 × 2 model). Next, a regression analysis was utilized to test the relationship between each dimension in the 2 × 2 model and execution willingness. To explore the neuroanatomical structures underlying EFT, the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was conducted to find out brain regions responsible for EFT. In addition, the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis was also utilized to examine the neural pathways underlying EFT affects procrastination. Behavioral results showed combine the anticipated positive outcome with anticipated negative engagement can best predict execution willingness. The VBM analysis revealed that the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was positively correlated with anticipated positive outcome, while the right hippocampus was positively correlated with anticipated negative engagement. The RSFC results indicated that DLPFC functional connectivity with the right inferior frontal gyrus (RIFG) and left precuneus were positively associated with anticipated positive outcome, whereas the hippocampus connectivity with the left insula was positively associated with anticipated negative engagement. Structural equation model results suggest that EFT affects procrastination through the cognitive control pathway (DLPFC-IFG, DLPFC-precuneus) and emotional processing pathway (hippocampus-insula). Collectively, these findings suggest that task procrastination can be predicted by the interaction of the top-down cognitive control pathway and bottom-up emotional processing pathway.

Yang Y ，Chen Z ，Chen Q ，Feng T ... -  《-》

The Functional Connectivity Between Right Middle Temporal Gyrus and Right Superior Frontal Gyrus Impacted Procrastination through Neuroticism.

Procrastination is generally recognized as a problematic behavior and the consequences of which spread to various aspects of an individual's life such as academic performance, social accomplishment, well-being, and health. Previous studies have indicated that neuroticism is positively correlated with procrastination; however, little is known about the neural substrates underlying the link between neuroticism and procrastination. To address this issue, we employed voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) methods to investigate the neural underpinning for their relationship in the present study (N = 153). Consistent with our hypothesis, the behavior results verified a positive correlation between neuroticism and procrastination (r = 0.47). The VBM analysis revealed that the gray matter (GM) volumes in the right middle temporal gyrus (RMTG) were positively correlated with neuroticism. Moreover, results from RSFC analysis suggested that the functional connectivity between RMTG and the right superior frontal gyrus (RSFG) was positively associated with neuroticism. More importantly, a mediation analysis demonstrated that neuroticism played a full mediating role in the impact of RMTG-RSFG functional connectivity on procrastination. Overall, the present study offered new insights into the relation between neuroticism and procrastination from a neural basis perspective, which also suggested the importance of emotional regulation with regard to the link between such an association.

Zhang Y ，Zhang R ，Feng T 《-》

The functional connectivity between left insula and left medial superior frontal gyrus underlying the relationship between rumination and procrastination.

Procrastination is regarded as a prevalent problematic behavior that impairs people's physical and mental health. Although previous studies have indicated that trait rumination is robustly positively correlated with procrastination, it remains unknown about the neural substrates underlying the relationship between trait rumination and procrastination. To address this issue, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) approaches to explore the neural basis of the relationship between trait rumination and procrastination. Our behavior results found that trait rumination was significantly positively correlated to procrastination, while the VBM analysis showed that trait rumination was negatively correlated with gray matter volume of the insula. Furthermore, the RSFC results revealed a negative association of the left insula-lmSFG (left medial superior frontal gyrus) functional connectivity with trait rumination. More importantly, the mediation analysis showed that trait rumination could completely mediate the relationship between left insula-lmSFG functional connectivity and procrastination. These results suggest that the left insula-lmSFG functional connectivity involved in emotion regulation modulates the association between trait rumination and procrastination, which provides neural evidence for the relationship between trait rumination and procrastination.

Xu S ，Zhang R ，Feng T 《-》