South Korean scientists from Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul have discovered which areas of the brain are responsible for a person’s tendency to ruminate (keep coming back to the same negative thoughts), which can lead to depression and anxiety. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature Communications (NatComms).
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers identified a specific brain region involved in rumination: the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (DMP).
The results showed that DMPK interacts with other brain regions, specifically the left inferior frontal gyrus and the right temporoparietal junction. Because these parts of the brain are associated with speech and one’s evaluation of various social situations, these processes appear to be key to understanding the phenomenon of rumination.
The model successfully predicted the level of depression in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder; This suggests a cross-relationship between brain activity during rumination and clinical depression.
“Rumination is one of the most important thought patterns, and this study shows that the tendency to ruminate can be deciphered by brain connections measured using fMRI. “We hope that in the future neuroimaging can be used to monitor and manage mental health,” said Chun-Wan Wu, lead author of the study.
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