Neuroscience of Emotional Intelligence: An Integrative Narrative Review

Emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a critical neurocognitive construct linking affective processing, social behavior, and adaptive functioning. This integrative narrative review synthesizes multidisciplinary findings to map the biological underpinnings of EI across genetic, epigenetic, neuroanatomical, and neurophysiological domains. Drawing on evidence from neuroimaging, molecular genetics, neurochemistry, and brain connectivity studies, the review suggests EI as a product of dynamic interactions between prefrontal-limbic circuits, neurotransmitter systems, and environmentally sensitive regulatory mechanisms. Key brain structures, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, and insula, operate within coordinated networks that support the recognition, regulation, and social cognition of emotions. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) modulate the emotional reactivity and cognitive control essential to EI. Epigenetic modifications further explain the lifelong plasticity of emotional capacities in response to experience. Anchored in the process model of emotion regulation and the social brain hypothesis, this review provides a cohesive neuroscientific framework for EI. It outlines its translational implications in education, healthcare, and affective computing. By consolidating current advances, this review may help inform precision interventions and policy initiatives aimed at enhancing emotional resilience, empathy, and psychological well-being.