Negative thinking leads to higher chances to get Alzheimer’s decease, a recent study discovered.
Negative thinking causes health consequences
People who tend to frequently think in pessimistic ways cause their own demise, researchers warn.
Scholars from the University College of London, UK, found that repetitive patterns of negative thinking cause release of harmful proteins into brain, which are linked to Alzheimer’s and possibly dementia.
Tools like meditation or mindfulness may improve the condition of people who tend to engage in negative thinking often.
As previously was demonstrated, depression and anxiety in mature age are linked to higher chance for dementia. If a person was constantly negative in his thoughts, this, too becomes a risk factor, although short periods of unhappy thoughts aren’t believed to cause such consequences.
In the study, 360 people aged 55+ were monitored for 2 years, answering questionnaires, which included questions about engaging in pessimistic thoughts such as worrying about the future or feeling sad about the past. Cognitive abilities were also measured. Brain scans were used to find deposits of two common proteins that are linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Over the 4-year period, people who reported negative thoughts had demonstrated a higher propensity to cognitive decline, as well as deposits of the 2 proteins known to cause Alzheimer’s.
Thus, researchers believe that repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a unique contributing factor in the development of Alzheimer’s. It could be the high blood pressure that causes deposits of two proteins (amyloid and tau) to accumulate in the brain.
Thoughts affect out physical health
The type of thoughts we engage in, apparently, have a deep biological impact on our health.
Thus, making an effort to maintain a positive mental attitude isn’t just a measure to improve the way we feel, but also a factor of our physical health and wellbeing.
Some other studies demonstrated that meditation may improve people’s chances in avoiding dementia. Scientists intend to check this possible intervention measure in the future studies.
The recent pandemics didn’t improve people’s overall positivity mode. It is important therefore to work on one’s mental attitudes and use known techniques to gain better balance.
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