Associations between repetitive negative thinking and segregation of the anterior salience network amongst healthy middle‐aged adults

Background Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT) includes negative thoughts about the future (worry) and past (rumination), has been associated with AD physiopathology (Marchant et al. Alzh&Dement 2020;16:1054). Prefrontal anterior cingulate cortices play a major role in RNT (Demnitz-King al., Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2021;316:111353). Nonetheless, involves several brain regions within large-scale networks (Makovac 2020;295:111020), efficiency of which depends on their ability to remain segregated (Tononi PNAS, 1994;91:11). We investigated associations between system segregation (SyS) Anterior Salience Network (ASN), Default Mode (DMN) Executive Control (ECN) middle-aged adults. Method 248 healthy controls (mean age: 59.17 (SD 4.79), 50.61% women) from Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (Cattaneo Front Aging Neurosci. 2018;10:321) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging compute SyS using node-based approach Shirer atlas (Shirer Cereb Cortex. 2012;22:1). was estimated questionnaires as previously (Schlosser BMC Psychiatry, 2020;20:1), global score computed. Regression analyses ASN, DMN ECN, including age, depression stress ratings, emotional stability cognitive complaints. Result positively predicted by complaints (t = 3.18, p 0.002) 6.55, p<0.0001), negatively -4.77, p<0.0001). Likewise, SyS_ASN -2.57, 0.011; Fig1). Post-hoc revealed increased connectivity ASN ventral (vDMN, t 2.57, 0.01) reverse for ASN-dorsal (dDMN, -2.03, 0.04; Fig2). Conclusion Higher levels amongst subjects were related less ASN. Results are importance considering that declining predicts dementia severity (Chan Nat 2021;1:1053). Specifically, presented higher coupling vDMN (medial temporal lobe precuneus), linked self-processing autobiographical processes (Bayley J 2006;26:51), lower dDMN prefrontal regions) control (Piguet Biol Psychol. 2014;103:195). This dissociative may partially explain poorer self-referential characteristic