Resting-state functional connectivity insights: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and superior parietal lobule in self-control and cognitive reappraisal

Self-control denotes the capacity to regulate impulses, modulate behavior and cognition in the service of long-term goals, especially when facing motivational conflicts. Cognitive reappraisal involves adaptively modifying one’s appraisal of events through reinterpretation to reduce negative affect. Although both behavioral and neuroimaging studies support the association between self-control and cognitive reappraisal, the specific regulatory mechanisms of the prefrontal-parietal network in this relationship still require further investigation. To address this issue, this study systematically investigated the brain-behavior regulatory mechanisms between self-control and cognitive reappraisal by analyzing behavioral-neuroimaging data from 358 participants, combining resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and mediation analysis. The behavioral results confirmed a positive correlation between the variables. Moreover, neuroimaging results revealed the functional connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and superior parietal lobule (SPL) was associated with self-control and played a mediating role in the association with cognitive reappraisal. Together, these findings suggest that dlPFC-SPL functional connectivity may serve as the neural basis for the association between self-control and cognitive reappraisal, providing novel insights into the association between self-control and cognitive reappraisal and offering a new neurobehavioral perspective on their interaction.