The power of positive thinking is no cliché, at least when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease risks.
That’s the take-home message of research out of King's College London that has shown that repetitive negative thinking — a common symptom of many psychological disorders — boosts the risk for the brain-wasting disease.
In a paper published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, the researchers argue that a habit of negative thinking over a prolonged period of time harms the brain's capacity to think, reason, and form memories — putting individuals at greater risk for dementia.
Such thinking is common in people suffering from depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic life stress.
It not only eats up the finite capacity of brain resources, but also triggers a physical stress response in the brain, which over a prolonged period of time may cause damage and reduce