Correlation between Metacognitive Ability and White Matter Fasciculus

Sir, The relationship between metacognitive ability and white matter fasciculus remains unclear. This study used DTI to explore the correlation between metacognitive ability and FA values of the whole white matter fasciculus. Metacognition was based on a self-reported questionnaire of nursing students. The 24-item metacognitive ability scale has four factors: metacognitive planning (7 items), metacognitive monitoring (6 items), metacognitive regulating (6 items), and metacognitive evaluating (5 items). The scale was developed by Kang and Zhang.[1] A total of 117 nursing students (90 females; age range, 18–21 years) voluntarily participated in this study. All participants were healthy. The exclusion criteria were brain injury, encephalitis, and psychiatric disorders. All students underwent 3.0 T whole brain DTI scanning (Skyra, Siemens, Germany), with parameters as follows: gradient directions 20, TR 3700 ms, TE 95 ms, slice thickness 4 mm, b value 0 1000 s/mm2, and FOV 220 mm. PANDA software was used to calculate FA values of different white matter fiber bundles. Metacognitive ability was particularly correlated with right medial lemniscus, left medial lemniscus, right inferior cerebellar peduncle, right posterior corona radiata, right corpus callosum tapetum, and left corpus callosum tapetum respectively. Medial lemniscus is the second-order neurons of dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway (DCML), which has a certain effect on cognitive function. For example, artificial entity recognition requires DCMLT to receive discriminative touch and proprioception information.[2] Experimental and clinical studies have shown that the cerebellum generates enormous connections with the central nervous system through the cerebellar peduncle, participating in various cognitive functions.[3] The higher the FA value in the corpus callosum and cerebellar peduncle, the stronger the executive function.[4] In summary, the integrity of the aforementioned white matter fiber bundles is of great significance for metacognitive ability. Financial support and sponsorship This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2022MH064). Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.