Multidimensional analysis with MRI on mechanisms of cognitive behavioral therapy for obsession

• Project/Area Number: 26870100
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Clinical psychology; Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Sutoh Chihiro 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 助教 (30612650)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: 磁気共鳴画像法 / 機能的磁気共鳴画像法 / 認知行動療法 / 心理療法 / 認知再構成 / 強迫症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To clarify the neural mechanisms of cognitive restructuring, a fundamental method within cognitive behavioural therapy, we designed a unique task that replicated psychotherapy during a brain scan. The brain activities and anatomical information of healthy participants were analysed using magnetic resonance imaging. During the brain scan, participants underwent Socratic questioning aimed at cognitive restructuring regarding the necessity of handwashing after using the restroom. The behavioural result indicated that the questioning effectively decreased the participants' degree of belief that they must wash their hands. Alterations in the degree of belief showed a positive correlation with activity in the left posterior parietal cortex and positive correlations with the white matter integrity in the left hemisphere. The involvement of these brain regions in planning, decision-making, and conceptualization may play a pivotal role in cognitive restructuring.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Transient contribution of left posterior parietal cortex to cognitive restructuring (2015)
  • Author(s): Sutoh C, Matsuzawa D, Hirano Y, Yamada M, Nagaoka S, Chakraborty S, Ishii D, Matsuda S, Tomizawa H, Ito H, Tsuji H, Obata T, Shimizu E.
  • Journal Title: Sci Rep Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Pages: 9199-9199
  • DOI: 10.1038/srep09199
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] ニューロサイエンスと認知行動療法の統合 (2014)
  • Author(s): 清水栄司，最上多美子，守口善也，今井正司，須藤千尋
  • Journal Title: 認知療法研究 Volume: 7 Pages: 144-153
• [Presentation] Neural basis of the Socratic questioning as a therapeutic method for cognitive restructuring (2015)
  • Author(s): Chihiro Sutoh
  • Organizer: WPA Regional Congress Osaka Japan 2015
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪国際会議場（大阪府大阪市）
  • Year and Date: 2015-06-04
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Functional and structural brain representation of cognitive restructuring (2014)
  • Author(s): ・Chihiro Sutoh, Daisuke Matsuzawa, Yoshiyuki Hirano, Makiko Yamada, Sawako Nagaoka, Daisuke Ishii, Shingo Matsuda, Haruna Tomizawa, Hiroshi Ito, Hiroshi Tsuji, Takayuki Obata, Eiji Shimizu
  • Organizer: 44th EABCT Congress
  • Place of Presentation: The Hague (Nederlands)
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-10 – 2014-09-13
• [Remarks] 認知行動療法による信念の変化を脳画像解析で確認
  • URL: http://www.chiba-u.ac.jp/general/publicity/press/files/2015/20150318.pdf
• [Remarks] 認知行動療法による信念の変化を脳画像解析で確認
  • URL: http://www.chiba-u.ac.jp/general/publicity/press/pdf/2015/20150318.pdf