Anterior insula ties narcissistic traits to emotional suppression, study shows

A 172-person MRI study ties narcissistic traits to anterior insula structure: higher grandiose and vulnerable narcissism are linked to smaller right anterior insula volume (left insula for vulnerable narcissism) and reduced gyrification. Mediation analyses show expressive suppression mediates the link between insula structure and narcissism, with bidirectional effects suggesting emotion-hiding habits and brain anatomy influence each other. Findings come from healthy adults and may not generalize to clinical populations.