Neuroticism is a heritable trait and a risk factor for mental health due to its relevance to poor control of negative events. To examine the relationship between genetic propensity for neuroticism and control processing, we used the polygenic risk score (PRS) approach and a stop signal task during fMRI. We hypothesized that genetic propensity for neuroticism may moderate control processing as a function of control difficulty. PRSs for neuroticism were computed from a transdiagnostic group of individuals (n=406) who completed the stop signal task. The level of control difficulty was a function of the stop signal asynchrony: shorter asynchrony allows easier stopping whereas longer asynchrony makes stopping difficult. The relationship between PRS for neuroticism and neural activity for controlling responses was examined by the stop signal asynchrony. Although PRS for neuroticism did not relate to the overall inhibitory control, individuals with high PRS for neuroticism showed greater activity in left dorsal prefrontal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and dorsal posterior cingulate cortex for difficult control. Thus, the genetic propensity for neuroticism affects neural processing in a difficult control context, which may help to explain why individuals with high levels of neuroticism exert poor control of negative events in difficult situations.

神经质是一种可遗传的特质，也是心理健康的危险因素，因为它与对负面事件的控制不良有关。为了检查神经质遗传倾向和控制处理之间的关系，我们在功能磁共振成像期间使用了多基因风险评分（PRS）方法和停止信号任务。我们假设神经质的遗传倾向可能会调节控制处理，作为控制难度的函数。神经质的 PRS 是根据完成停止信号任务的跨诊断组（n = 406）计算得出的。控制难度的水平是停止信号异步性的函数：较短的异步性允许更容易停止，而较长的异步性使停止变得困难。通过停止信号异步检查神经质 PRS 与控制反应的神经活动之间的关系。尽管神经质的 PRS 与总体抑制控制无关，但神经质 PRS 高的个体在左背侧前额叶皮层、颞中回和背侧后扣带皮层表现出更大的活动，难以控制。因此，神经质的遗传倾向会影响难以控制的环境中的神经处理，这可能有助于解释为什么神经质水平较高的个体在困难的情况下对负面事件的控制能力较差。