The Neural Influence of Autobiographical Memory Related to the Parent-Child Relationship on Psychological Health in Adulthood

Abstract

The recollection of childhood memories is affected by the subjects involved, such as father and mother, and by the context. This study aimed to clarify the neural influence of autobiographical memory related to the parent-child relationship on psychological health in adulthood. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment using a childhood memory recollection task, in which they appraised the emotion a parent would have provided in a given situation. Whole-brain univariate and psychophysiological interaction analyses were performed. Neuroimaging results indicated notable involvement of the caudal anterior cingulate cortex and precuneus in autobiographical memory related to the parent-child relationship, and their activities were closely associated with the level of depression and self-esteem, respectively. The functional connectivity results indicated increased connectivity between the caudal anterior cingulate cortex and fusiform gyrus for the father-positive condition compared to the mother-positive condition and there was a positive correlation between the strength of connectivity between the two regions and the anxiety level. Our findings suggest the processing of negative affect and the personalness of autobiographical memories are distinctly engaged depending on the parent in question and the situational valence. The present study illuminates the impact of autobiographical memory processes on various dimensions of psychological health.