https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8953-1171
![Sample our Behavioral Sciences journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110801/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Behavioral-Sciences.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Introduction
Rumination, defined as intrusive and repetitive thoughts in response to negative emotions, uncertainty, and inconsistency between goal and current situation, is a significant risk factor for depressive disorders. The rumination literature presents diverse findings on functional connectivity and shows heterogeneity in research methods. This systematic review seeks to integrate these findings and provide readers diverse perspectives.
Method
For this purpose, the literature on functional connectivity in rumination was reviewed according to the PRISMA guidelines. Regional connectivity and network connectivity results were scrutinized according to the presence of depression, research methods, and type of rumination. After screening 492 articles, a total of 36 studies were included.
Results
The results showed that increased connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) was consistently reported. Other important findings include alterations in the connectivity between the DMN and the frontoparietal network and the salience network (SN) and impaired regulatory function of the SN. Region-level connectivity studies consistently show that increased connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and the prefrontal cortex is associated with rumination, which may cause the loss of control of the frontoparietal network over self-referential processes. We have seen that the number of studies examining brooding and reflective rumination as separate dimensions are relatively limited. Although there are overlaps between the connectivity patterns of the two types of rumination in these studies, it can be thought that reflective rumination is more associated with more increased functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex.
Conclusions
Although there are many consistent functional connectivity outcomes associated with trait rumination, less is known about connectivity changes during state rumination. Relatively few studies have taken into account the subjective aspect of this thinking style. In order to better explain the relationship between rumination and depression, rumination induction studies during episode and remission periods of depression are needed.
Abbreviation list
| Abbreviations | = | Meaning |
| FC | = | Functional connectivity |
| BNST | = | Bed nucleus of stria terminalis |
| CON | = | Cinguloopercular networ |
| dlPFC | = | Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex |
| DMN | = | Default mode network |
| dMPFC | = | Dorsal medial prefrontal cortex |
| FPN | = | Frontoparietal network |
| IPL | = | Inferior parietal lobule |
| IPC | = | Inferior parietal cortex |
| lOFC | = | Lateral orbitofrontal cortex |
| LTC | = | Lateral temporal cortex |
| MDD | = | Major depressive disorder |
| MFG | = | Middle frontal gyrus |
| mOFC | = | Medial orbitofrontal cortex |
| mPFC | = | Medial prefrontal cortex |
| MTL | = | Medial temporal lobe |
| NAcc | = | Nucleus accumbens |
| PCC | = | Posterior cingulate cortex |
| pgACC | = | Pregenual anterior cingulate cortex |
| PHG | = | Parahippocampal gyrus |
| Rsp | = | Retrosplenial gyrus |
| sgACC | = | Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex |
| SMG | = | Supramarginal gyrus |
| SN | = | Salience network |
| SPL | = | Superior parietal lobule |
| STG | = | Superior temporal gyrus |
| supACC | = | Supragenual anterior cingulate cortex |
| TemP | = | Temporal pole |
| TPJ | = | Temporoparietal junction |
| vACC | = | Ventral ACC |
| vmPFC | = | Ventromedial prefrontal cortex |
| VS | = | Ventral striatum |
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Author Contrıbutıons
EM: Conceptualization, Literature search, Writing original draft; YHA: Literature search, editing; OMK: Editing
Supplemental material
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2024.2315312