Repetitive Negative Thinking

This study will test the hypotheses that adolescent with repetitive negative thinking who at at-risk for serious mental illness will show greater default mode network (DMN) connectivity than healthy controls, at-risk adolescents will show greater changes in DMN connectivity than healthy controls, and that a longer session of mindfulness based neurofeedback will lead to greater reduction in DMN connectivity. To do so, 50 adolescents with elevated repetitive negative thinking and 50 matched healthy control participants will be enrolled into a double-blind randomized clinical trial of a session of mindfulness training with either active mindfulness-basde neurofeedback or sham mindfulness-based neurofeedback.

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.

The study will test the hypothesis that mindfulness-based neurofeedback (mbNF) will improve repetitive negative thinking and social and role functioning over sham neurofeedback in adolescents at risk for serious mental illness. To do so, 90 adolescents ages 14-21 with elevated repetitive negative thinking will be enrolled into a double-blind randomized clinical trial of sessions of mindfulness training with either active mindfulness-based neurofeedback or sham neurofeedback and three months of mindfulness practice and follow up.