Increased GM-WM in a prefrontal network and decreased GM in the insula and the precuneus are associated with reappraisal usage and reduced perceived stress: A data fusion approach

Emotion regulation plays a crucial role in mental health, and difficulties in regulating emotions can contribute to psychological disorders. While reappraisal and suppression are well-studied strategies, the joint contributions of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) to these strategies remain unclear due to methodological limitations in previous studies. To address this, we applied a data fusion approach using Parallel Independent Component Analysis (Parallel ICA) to GM and WM MRI images from 165 individuals. Parallel ICA identified two networks associated with reappraisal usage. Network 1 included a large lateral and medial prefrontal cortical network, partially overlapping with both the anterior hubs of the Central Executive network (CEN) and the Default Mode network (DMN), and adjacent WM regions. Higher reappraisal frequency was associated with greater GM-WM density within this network, and this network was negatively correlated with perceived stress. Network 2 included the insula, precuneus, sub-gyral, and lingual gyri in its GM portion, showing a negative association with reappraisal usage. The WM portion, adjacent to regions of the central executive network (CEN), was positively associated with reappraisal usage. Regarding suppression, no significant network was associated with this strategy. This study provides new insights into individual differences in reappraisal use, showing a positive association between reappraisal frequency and increased gray and white matter concentration in a large frontal network, including regions of the frontal DMN and the CEN. Conversely, subcortical areas exhibited reduced gray and white matter concentration.