TY - JOUR
T1 - Neural correlation of successful cognitive behaviour therapy for spider phobia
T2 - A magnetoencephalography study
AU - Wright, Barry
AU - Alderson-Day, Ben
AU - Prendergast, Garreth
AU - Kennedy, Juliette
AU - Bennett, Sophie
AU - Docherty, Mary
AU - Whitton, Clare
AU - Manea, Laura
AU - Gouws, Andre
AU - Tomlinson, Heather
AU - Green, Gary
PY - 2013/12/30
Y1 - 2013/12/30
N2 - Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be an effective treatment for spider phobia, but the underlying neural correlates of therapeutic change are yet to be specified. The present study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to study responses within the first half second, to phobogenic stimuli in a group of individuals with spider phobia prior to treatment (n=12) and then in nine of them following successful CBT (where they could touch and manage live large common house spiders) at least 9 months later. We also compared responses to a group of age-matched healthy control participants (n=11). Participants viewed static photographs of real spiders, other fear-inducing images (e.g. snakes, sharks) and neutral stimuli (e.g. kittens). Beamforming methods were used to localise sources of significant power changes in response to stimuli. Prior to treatment, participants with spider phobia showed a significant maximum response in the right frontal pole when viewing images of real spiders specifically. No significant frontal response was observed for either control participants or participants with spider phobia post-treatment. In addition, participants' subjective ratings of spider stimuli significantly predicted peak responses in right frontal regions. The implications for understanding brain-based effects of cognitive therapies are discussed.
AB - Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be an effective treatment for spider phobia, but the underlying neural correlates of therapeutic change are yet to be specified. The present study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to study responses within the first half second, to phobogenic stimuli in a group of individuals with spider phobia prior to treatment (n=12) and then in nine of them following successful CBT (where they could touch and manage live large common house spiders) at least 9 months later. We also compared responses to a group of age-matched healthy control participants (n=11). Participants viewed static photographs of real spiders, other fear-inducing images (e.g. snakes, sharks) and neutral stimuli (e.g. kittens). Beamforming methods were used to localise sources of significant power changes in response to stimuli. Prior to treatment, participants with spider phobia showed a significant maximum response in the right frontal pole when viewing images of real spiders specifically. No significant frontal response was observed for either control participants or participants with spider phobia post-treatment. In addition, participants' subjective ratings of spider stimuli significantly predicted peak responses in right frontal regions. The implications for understanding brain-based effects of cognitive therapies are discussed.
KW - Brain activation
KW - Fear
KW - Magnetoencephalography
KW - Neuroimaging
KW - Psychological therapy
KW - Simple phobia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84888308583&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.09.011
DO - 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.09.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 24139305
AN - SCOPUS:84888308583
SN - 0925-4927
VL - 214
SP - 444
EP - 451
JO - Psychiatry Research - Neuroimaging
JF - Psychiatry Research - Neuroimaging
IS - 3
ER -