Extraversion mediates the relationship between structural variations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and social well-being

Social well-being reflects the appraisal of one's circumstance and functioning in society, which is crucial for individuals' mental and physical health. However, little is known about the neural processes associated with social well-being. In this study, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to identify the brain regions underlying individual differences in social well-being, as measured by the Social Well-being Scale (SWBS), in a large sample of young healthy adults. We found that social well-being was negatively correlated with gray matter volume in left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (mid-DLPFC) that is implicated in executive functioning, emotional regulation and social reasoning. The results remained significant even after controlling for the effect of socioeconomic status. Furthermore, although basic personality factors such as neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness (as measured by the NEO Personality Inventory) all contributed to social well-being, only extraversion acted as a mediational mechanism underlying the association between the left mid-DLPFC volume and social well-being. Together, our findings provide the first evidence for the structural basis of individual differences in social well-being, and suggest that the personality trait of extraversion might play an important role in the acquisition and process of social well-being. •The neuroanatomical basis of social well-being was investigated with VBM.•Social well-being negatively correlated with left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) volume.•Social well-being was predicted by neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness.•The link between the DLPFC and social well-being was mediated by extroversion.