Scientists have published a new study in the journal “Alzheimer & Dementia” in which negative thoughts are associated with signs of possibleearly phase of Alzheimer's diseaseconnect. Recurrent negative thinking was tied to cognitive and neuropathological markers of the disease, the longitudinal study showed. Researchers have linked patterns of repetitive rumination or worry to subsequent declines in global cognition, immediate memory, and delayed memory.
Get rid of negative thoughts?
The study identifies a novel and potentially modifiable psychological process – repetitive negative thinking. Science links this to an increased risk of dementia. Because repetitive negative thinking is a common symptomfor depression and anxiety disordersis, the finding could help explain the connections between these disorders and the increased risk of dementia. Dementia is therefore a term that represents a variety of diseases characterized by cognitive decline. Features include difficulty remembering, thinking, or making decisions. Accordingly, these have a negative impact on a person's everyday life.
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. This usually affects people over 60 years of age, but in rare cases it can also occur in young people. Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease, meaning it gets worse over time. A person may initially have difficulty remembering things or concentrating. As the severity increases, this may result in the patient not being able to remember family or friends.
However, it is not yet clear what exactly causes Alzheimer's disease and what factors play a role. There is currently no cure, and treatments typically focus on medical management to temporarily reduce symptoms and behavioral changes that can slow disease progression.
Research results
The team found that obsessive negative thoughts were associated with increases in cognitive decline and amyloid beta protein aggregation. This is a brain protein involved in Alzheimer's disease. However, it is important to note that this research is still in its early stages, has some limitations, and remains to be monitored. For this reason, correlation does not necessarily equate to causation. So there is still no solid evidence that negative thoughts cause these early signs of Alzheimer's.
So there is definitely no need to develop only positive thoughts to prevent memory loss. Of course, people should try to think positively. This is an important and interesting study that could still provide crucial research results. If the research fails, scientists could eventually test who might be at risk of Alzheimer's disease. Understanding the factors that can increase the risk of dementia is crucial in this case to improve knowledge of this devastating condition and develop prevention strategies.
Stop recurring negative thoughts
Previous research has shown that psychological factors such as depression and anxiety may also be linked to Alzheimer's disease. This has led researchers to develop the concept of cognitive debt as a risk factor for such disorders. They assume that this is acquired by negative thinking. The focus is on processes in which people repeatedly think about the past and worry about the future. The authors of thisStudywanted to take a closer look at the relationship between such thought processes and the signs of Alzheimer's disease, which are the buildup of proteins in a person's brain and cognitive decline.
