Emotion Regulation in RNT

The goal of this study is to understand why some people become stuck in repetitive negative thinking, which is common among individuals with depression and anxiety. Repetitive negative thinking involves repeatedly focusing on negative events, worries, or problems. These thoughts can be difficult to control and may worsen emotional distress and daily functioning.

Researchers believe that repetitive negative thinking may be related to changes in how different brain networks communicate with each other. This study will examine how the brain responds during emotion regulation tasks in people who tend to ruminate compared with healthy individuals.

To do this, researchers will use a brain-imaging technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). This method measures brain activity using harmless infrared light while participants perform tasks on a computer.

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

How does the brain respond to emotional situations in people who experience repetitive negative thinking?

Are there differences in brain activity between people with depression or anxiety and healthy individuals during emotion regulation?

Participants will include 50 healthy volunteers and 50 individuals with depression or anxiety who experience repetitive negative thinking.

Participants will:

Wear a lightweight brain-imaging device (fNIRS) placed on the head to measure brain activity

Complete computer tasks involving emotional images and different emotion-regulation strategies, such as reinterpreting, suppressing, or distracting from emotions

Listen to different types of spoken feedback (criticism, praise, or neutral comments) and imagine receiving them from someone they know

Report their emotional feelings during the tasks

Complete several questionnaires about mood, thinking patterns, and emotional experiences

During the experiment, researchers will also record physiological responses such as heart activity and skin reactions, which are related to emotional responses.

The results of this study may help researchers better understand the brain mechanisms underlying rumination and may contribute to the development of more effective treatments for depression and anxiety.