Functional connectivity between left rostral anterior cingulate cortex and left caudate nucleus: Linking future self-continuity to achievement motivation.

Future self-continuity (FSC) and achievement motivation are two psychological constructs that facilitate future-oriented cognition and goal-directed behavior. However, the neural circuits integrating these constructs remain understudied from a cognitive neuroscience perspective-specifically how self-referential processing (a core component of FSC) interacts with reward valuation supported by the caudate. To address this question, we explored the relationship between future self-continuity and achievement motivation using a combination of resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and mediation analysis. Behavioral results confirmed a positive correlation between FSC and achievement motivation, while mediation analysis further revealed that left rACC-left caudate functional connectivity statistically accounted for part of this relationship. These findings suggest that rACC-caudate connectivity may reflect the integration of self-referential processing and reward valuation, providing a potential neural correlate for the interplay between future self-perception and achievement striving.