# Individual differences in wellbeing are supported by separable sets of co-active self- and visual-attention-related brain networks

## TL;DR

The brain supports wellbeing through multiple co-activated networks related to self-processing and visual attention, which vary across individuals.

## Contribution

The study identifies seven distinct brain networks linked to wellbeing using a naturalistic film-watching task in fMRI.

## Key findings

- Two sets of brain networks are related to 'embodied self' processing involving autonomic and affective regions.
- Three sets of brain networks are linked to 'narrative self' processing involving language and memory regions.
- Two sets of visual-attention-related networks are associated with individual differences in wellbeing.

## Abstract

How does the brain support ‘wellbeing’? Because it is a multidimensional construct, it is likely the product of multiple co-active brain networks that vary across individuals. This is perhaps why prior neuroimaging studies have found inconsistent anatomical associations with wellbeing. Furthermore, these used ‘laboratory-style’ or ‘resting-state’ methods not amenable to finding manifold networks. To address these issues, we had participants watch a full-length romantic comedy-drama film during functional magnetic resonance imaging. We hypothesised that individual differences in wellbeing measured before scanning would be correlated with individual differences in brain networks associated with ‘embodied’ and ‘narrative’ self-related processing. Indeed, searchlight spatial inter-participant representational similarity and subsequent analyses revealed seven sets of co-activated networks associated with individual differences in wellbeing. Two were ‘embodied self’ related, including brain regions associated with autonomic and affective processing. Three sets were ‘narrative self’ related, involving speech, language, and autobiographical memory-related regions. Finally, two sets of visual-attention-related networks emerged. These results suggest that the neurobiology of wellbeing in the real world is supported by diverse but functionally definable and separable sets of networks. This has implications for psychotherapy where individualised interventions might target, e.g., neuroplasticity in language-related narrative over embodied self or visual-attentional related processes.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-86762-w.