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. 2023 Jun 29;13(1):231.
doi: 10.1038/s41398-023-02525-z.

Psychological resilience mediates the protective role of default-mode network functional connectivity against COVID-19 vicarious traumatization

Xiqin Liu  1 , Yajun Zhao  2 , Xueling Suo  1 , Xun Zhang  1 , Nanfang Pan  1 , Graham J Kemp  3 , Qiyong Gong  1 , Song Wang  4
Affiliations

Psychological resilience mediates the protective role of default-mode network functional connectivity against COVID-19 vicarious traumatization

Xiqin Liu et al. Transl Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Vicarious traumatization (VT), a negative reaction to witnessing others' trauma, has been experienced by some people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can lead to mental health problems. This study aimed to identify functional brain markers of COVID-specific VT and explore the psychological mechanism underlying the brain-VT link. One hundred healthy participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging before the pandemic (October 2019-January 2020) and completed VT measurement during the pandemic (February-April 2020). Whole-brain correlation analysis based on global functional connectivity density (FCD) mapping revealed that VT was negatively correlated with FCD in the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) (i.e., the lower FCD in ITG, the worse the VT), identified by mapping onto known large-scale networks as part of the default-mode network (DMN). Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis using ITG as seed found that VT was predicted by lower functional connectivity between ITG and other DMN regions including left medial prefrontal cortex, left orbitofrontal cortex, right superior frontal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule and bilateral precuneus (i.e., the lower the ITG-DMN connectivity, the worse the VT). Mediation analyses suggested that psychological resilience served as a mediator in these associations of ITG FCD and ITG-DMN RSFC with VT. Our results provide novel evidence on the brain basis of VT and emphasize psychological resilience as an important link from DMN functional connectivity to COVID-specific-VT. This may facilitate public health interventions by helping identify individuals at risk of stress- and trauma-related psychopathologies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Functional connectivity density (FCD) linked with vicarious traumatization.
A Brain images showing that vicarious traumatization is negatively linked to FCD in the right ITG after adjusting for sex, age and head motion (color key indicates the strength of negative correlation). B Scatter plot depicting the correlation between vicarious traumatization and FCD in the right ITG. C Plot showing the similarity of co-activation pattern of right ITG to large-scale functional networks. L left, R right, ITG inferior temporal gyrus, DMN default mode network, CEN central executive network, DAN dorsal attention network, VAN ventral attention network, SMN somatomotor network, VN visual network, AFN affective network.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) linked with vicarious traumatization.
A Brain regions whose functional connectivity strengths with the right ITG (seed) are linked to vicarious traumatization: left medial prefrontal cortex, left orbitofrontal cortex, right superior frontal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule and bilateral precuneus. B Scatter plot showing the correlation between vicarious traumatization and the overall mean functional connectivity strength of these brain regions with right ITG. C Similarity of co-activation pattern of brain regions linked with right ITG to large-scale functional networks. L left, R right, ITG inferior temporal gyrus, DMN default mode network, CEN central executive network, DAN dorsal attention network, VAN ventral attention network, SMN somatomotor network, VN visual network, AFN affective network.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Mediator role of psychological resilience in the association of FCD and RSFC with vicarious traumatization.
Psychological resilience mediates the linkage of (A) right ITG FCD and (B) right ITG-DMN connectivity to vicarious traumatization. Sex, age and head motion are controlled for and standardized estimates are indicated in the path diagram (***p < 0.001; **p < 0.01; *p < 0.05). ITG inferior temporal gyrus, DMN default mode network, X independent variable, M mediator variable, Y dependent variable, CI confidence interval, T1 October 2019–January 2020, T2 February–April 2020.
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