Negative thoughts might be changing your brain in surprising ways, study suggests

A negative mindset is known to trigger or heighten stress and anxiety — and new research has revealed other trickle-down effects on mental and physical health.

Researchers from Amen Clinics, a nationwide brain health diagnostics company, examined brain scans and cognitive data of nearly 20,000 patients who had been diagnosed with anxiety disorders.

xxsaid brain disorder specialist and psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, co-author of the study and founder of Amen Clinics.

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The people who had higher negativity bias were found to have reduced blood flow in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes — regions critical for decision-making, memory and emotional regulation, according to Amen.

"The extent of physical brain abnormalities — especially in areas not previously linked to emotional processing, like the cerebellum — was striking," he noted.

A negative mindset is known to trigger or heighten stress and anxiety — and new research has revealed other trickle-down effects on mental and physical health. (iStock)

These more negative people were also found to have "significantly higher levels" of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, emotional instability, poor memory and poor stress regulation.

"Not only were mood symptoms worse, but actual thinking skills — especially memory and resilience — were compromised," Amen observed.

"Until we start looking at the brain, we are flying blind in psychiatry."

The findings were published in the journal Depression and Anxiety.

"This research supports what I have long argued: Mental illness is brain illness," the researcher went on. "Until we start looking at the brain, we are flying blind in psychiatry."

"The study shows that people with anxiety disorders who exhibit strong negativity bias — the tendency to focus more on negative than positive stimuli — demonstrate clear structural and functional abnormalities in the brain," the lead researcher said. (iStock)

There were some limitations to note with this study, primarily its cross-sectional design, which means it captured data from a snapshot in time rather than following the group for an extended period.

"The study shows association, not causation," Amen told Fox News Digital. "While negativity bias correlates with dysfunction, it doesn’t definitively cause it."

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Based on the study findings, Amen emphasized the importance of optimizing brain health and maintaining a more positive mindset.

"If you want to treat mental health seriously, you need to look at the brain," he said. 

"If you want to treat mental health seriously, you need to look at the brain,"  the researcher said. (iStock)

"If you find yourself spiraling into negative thoughts, it may not be ‘just stress’— it could be a sign that your brain needs help."

Negativity bias isn’t just a "bad attitude," according to Amen — "it’s a neurological pattern that can spiral into full-blown cognitive and emotional breakdown." 

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"The good news? The brain is changeable — but only if we start looking at it."

While the study didn’t delve into testing potential solutions, Amen noted that daily positivity practices can be beneficial.

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"Broader research suggests that exercise, meditation, omega-3 consumption, gratitude journaling and deep breathing can help rewire negativity bias over time," he said.