Worrying and rumination are both associated with reduced cognitive control

Abstract

Persistent negative thought is a hallmark feature of both major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Despite its clinical significance, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of persistent negative thought. Recent studies suggest that reduced cognitive control might be an explanatory factor. We investigated the association between persistent negative thought and switching between internal representations in working memory, using the Internal Shift Task (IST). The IST was administered to a group of undergraduates, classified as high-ruminators versus low-ruminators, or highworriers versus low-worriers. Results showed that high-ruminators and high-worriers have more difficulties to switch between internal representations in working memory as opposed to low-ruminators and low-worriers. Importantly, results were only significant when the negative stimuli used in the IST reflected personally relevant worry-themes for the participants. The results of this study indicate that rumination and worrying are both associated with reduced cognitive control for verbal information that is personally relevant.

Cognitive deficits in bipolar disorders: Implications for emotion

“…To assess other domains of executive function in relation to rumination, multiple studies have used tasks that contrast negatively valenced and neutral stimuli. Multiple studies suggest that rumination is related to poorer executive function—including inhibition, working memory updating, and switching—when valenced stimuli are used as distractors or when the stimuli to be processed are negatively valenced (Beckwé, Deroost, Koster, De Lissnyder, & De Raedt, 2014; Bernblum & Mor, 2010). …”

“…Although a full discussion of the rich literature on the neurophysiological basis of the emotion-cognition interactions is beyond the score of this review, recent approaches in this field increasingly highlight evidence showing substantial overlap in brain regions involved in both emotion and cognitive processes (e.g., Pessoa, 2009). Within this literature, much work has focused on the important role of prefrontal cortex (PFC) for emotion processing and emotion regulation(Banich et al, 2009; Beckwé et al, 2014; Bernblum & Mor, 2010; Davis & Nolen-hoeksema, 2000; Goodkind et al, 2015; Kahl, Winter, & Schweiger, 2012; Ochsner et al, 2004). The PFC is centrally implicated in executive function domains including cognitive control, cognitive flexibility and working memory (Diamond, 2013).…”

Cognitive control interventions for depression: A systematic review of findings from training studies

“…For instance, cognitive control deficits have been observed in participants showing heightened trait rumination (e.g., Beckwé, Deroost, Koster, De Lissnyder, & De Raedt, 2014) and subclinical levels of depressive symptomatology (dysphorics; e.g., Derakshan, Salt, & Koster, 2009;Joormann, 2004;Owens, Koster, & Derakshan, 2012). Similarly, cognitive control impairments have been observed in a vast amount of studies exploring cognitive functioning in depressive patients (e.g., Deveney & Deldin, 2006;Goeleven, De Raedt, Baert, & Koster, 2006;Harvey et al, 2004;Levens & Gotlib, 2010;Merriam, Thase, Haas, Keshavan, & Sweeney, 1999;Murphy et al, 1999), and remain evident following remission from depression (e.g., Demeyer, De Lissnyder, Koster, & De Raedt, 2012;Levens & Gotlib, 2015;Paelecke-Habermann, Pohl, & Leplow, 2005;Vanderhasselt & De Raedt, 2009).…”

Dysfunctional Metacognitive Beliefs Are Associated with Decreased Executive Control

“…Rumination and worry may be conceived as similar cognitive processes described in different research contexts (Watkins et al, 2005) and can be conceptualized collectively as persistent negative thinking (Beckwé et al, 2014). Metacognitions about worry have also been proposed as a promising vulnerability marker of depressive relapse (Halvorsen et al, 2015).…”