The Neural Mechanisms of Emotion Dysregulation in Repetitive Negative Thinking Patients: A Pilot Study

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to understand why some people develop repetitive negative thinking (RNT), which is common in depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). RNT involves repeatedly focusing on negative thoughts, worries, or problems, which can worsen emotional distress and daily life. The study explores how brain networks communicate during emotion regulation in people who ruminate compared to healthy individuals. Participants will wear a lightweight brain-imaging device called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure brain activity while completing computer tasks with emotional images and various emotion regulation strategies like reinterpreting, suppressing, or distracting from emotions. They will listen to spoken feedback with different tones and imagine receiving these comments from someone they know. The study includes both a patient group with depression or anxiety and a healthy control group. During the study, researchers will record physiological responses such as heart rate and skin reactions related to emotions. Participants will report their feelings, complete questionnaires about mood and thinking patterns, and undergo resting-state brain activity measurements. The main outcomes measured include scores on repetitive thinking and worry questionnaires, brain activity changes during tasks, and physiological responses. The study may help better understand brain mechanisms behind rumination and inform future treatments.

Emotion Regulation in RNT