The patterns of brain activity when people with major depressive disorder (MDD) engage in repetitive negative thinking can predict how prone they are to such thoughts, according to new research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. The findings provide new insights into the neurobiological processes underlying depression.
Depression is a widespread mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While it’s known that depression can lead to persistent negative thinking patterns, the exact mechanisms underlying this process have remained a puzzle. The new study aimed to delve deeper into this matter by examining how the brain functions during both rest and rumination, offering a more comprehensive understanding of depression and its neural underpinnings.
“Repetitive negative thinking (RNT), a cognitive process characterized by a passive, repetitive, and evaluative focus on distressing thoughts, is associated with significant distress in several mental disorders, including major depressive disorder,” said study author Masaya Misaki, an associate investigator at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research.
“Brain function related to RNT in depression is often assessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, I believe that the resting state might not accurately represent RNT in depression. Hence, I conducted a machine learning analysis to predict individual RNT trait scores based on whole-brain functional connectivity patterns during both resting and induced negative thinking states.”