fMRI Archives - Psychiatry Advisor

Activation of Certain Brain Regions Correlated with Subsequent Response to CBT for PTSD

By

Emily Pond

December 3, 2020

While trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy is an important component of evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder, the efficacy of treatment can vary between individuals. It is thought that some of this variability is derived from interindividual differences in the brain’s intrinsic response to trauma-related stimuli and in activity of executive functional regions. The authors of this study sought to characterize these differences using a functional MRI in patients about to undergo CBT for PTSD.

Alcohol-Related Disorders

Extreme Drinking Occurrence During Emerging Adulthood Impacts Brain Volume

By

Rose Reeb

November 9, 2020

This study is the first to prospectively examine the impact of an extreme drinking episode on the brain morphometry of emerging adults.

Anxiety

Induced Anxiety Provides Suitable Model for Pathological Anxiety, Especially Specific Phobia

By

Mary Stroka

November 6, 2020

Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 181 publications that contrasted the neural activity of subjects with anxiety with subjects in control groups or healthy subjects in a safe condition with healthy subjects in an unpredictable-threat condition.

Anxiety

Non-Conscious Very Brief Exposure Reduces Aversion to Phobia

By

Mary Stroka

October 28, 2020

This study tested the hypothesis that exposure without conscious awareness would reduce fear in participants with specific phobia by harnessing the neural circuitry supporting the automatic extinction of fear.