Elucidation of neuroscientific basis on cognitive behavioral therapy

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26461748
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Okamoto Yasumasa 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究院(医), 准教授 (70314763)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 認知行動療法 / うつ病 / 神経科学 / MRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural activity associated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). At first, cognitive reappraisals targeting the anxiety were associated with increased activity in the medial and lateral prefrontal regions (including the orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortices) and decreased fear circuit activity (including the amygdala and thalamus). Correlational analysis demonstrated that reductions in subjective anxiety associated with reappraisal were correlated with orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortex activation. CBT for depressive subjects results in improved functioning of the front-parietal region during loss anticipation during a monetary incentive delay task and also in increased dorsomedial PFC activation during other perspective self-referential processing with improvement of depressive symptoms.

Free Research Field

精神医学