Amygdala clustering coefficients modulate the effect of neuroticism on the sensation of boredom.

While neuroticism and boredom are often associated, they differ in emotional arousal levels, emotion regulation strategies, and their effects on creativity. No study has examined the putative neural correlates that may moderate the relationship between neuroticism and boredom. This study aims to explore whether the local integration capacity of the amygdala as measured by a graph theoretical measure—clustering coefficient, may be linked to both mood-related constructs and moderate their relationship. In 43 Chinese university students, neuroticism and boredom were measured using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Chinese version (EPQ-C) and the Boredom Proneness Scale Chinese version (BPS-C), respectively. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were analyzed using graph theory to evaluate regional topographic features of brain activity. Moderation analyses revealed that the clustering coefficient of the right amygdala moderates the relationship between neuroticism and boredom. Specifically, a significant positive correlation between neuroticism and boredom was observed when the right amygdala clustering coefficient was low, while this relationship was not significant when it was high. This study provides preliminary neural evidence for the association between neuroticism and boredom by highlighting the role of the amygdala’s neurofunctional network.