The effects of positive and negative thinking on the brain

Humans exhibit a natural tendency to focus on threats, giving rise to the formation of negative thinking patterns. This inclination manifests in concerns about the future, known as negative future thinking, and dwelling on adverse aspects of the past. From a biological perspective, negative thinking is closely intertwined with stress, contributing to heightened blood pressure and increased cortisol levels. Recent research in 2020 has unveiled a correlation between cognitive decline linked to early Alzheimer's disease and persistent negative thinking.

Negative thinking is also associated with emotional states such as low mood, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The medial prefrontal cortex plays a pivotal role in processing self-related information, regulating emotions, and making emotional decisions. Simultaneously, the orbitofrontal cortex is crucial for experiences of pleasure, happiness, and overall wellbeing.

The insula, another integral brain region, is engaged in processing emotions, with the anterior insula specifically handling emotional states like sadness and happiness. To alleviate negative thoughts, it becomes essential to regulate the reward system. This system encompasses pleasure sensations, desires, and learning outcomes, providing a malleability that allows for the reshaping of reward systems. This restructuring has proven effective in cases of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), contributing to alterations in brain activities and improved brain health.

Consciously directing focus toward positive thoughts can yield profound effects. Studies indicate that the amygdala, traditionally linked to threat and fear responses, also plays a role in fostering compassion, human connection, and happiness.

Defining happiness proves to be a complex endeavour, with scientists categorising it into hedonia (pleasure) and eudaimonia (a life well-lived). Hedonic mechanisms associated with happiness are identified in brain regions such as the nucleus accumbens, the orbitofrontal cortex, and the medial prefrontal cortex. Consequently, intentionally embracing positive thoughts not only has the potential to reshape the amygdala's functions but also to stimulate hedonic mechanisms, promoting a more pleasurable and meaningful life experience.