Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Summary
Imaging studies of patients receiving psychodynamic psychotherapy and of related populations seem to indicate that psychodynamic psychotherapy enhances emotion regulation through changes in the activity of both cortical and limbic structures. In some studies, activity of the medial pre-frontal cortex (PFC) or other areas (e.g., anterior cingulate cortex, insula) decreases after therapy, suggesting that psychodynamic psychotherapy enables the PFC to exert control over other brain areas with less effort than before. In other studies, the activity of limbic structures (e.g., amygdala) decreases after therapy, suggesting diminished responsiveness to emotionally provocative stimuli.
Notable Studies:
1. Buchheim and colleagues (2012)
Take-home: Improvement in depression after psychodynamic psychotherapy was associated with change in activity in medial pre-frontal cortex and in the ventral anterior cingulated cortex – areas implicated in appraisal and emotion regulation.
2. Lehto and colleagues (2008)
Take-home: Psychodynamic psychotherapy was associated with changes in midbrain serotonin transporter density in patients with atypical depression. In adults with non-atypical depression, therapy was not associated with change in transporter density of serotonin in the midbrain or dopamine in the striatum.
Take-home: Improvement in depression after psychodynamic psychotherapy was associated with change in activity in medial pre-frontal cortex and in the ventral anterior cingulated cortex – areas implicated in appraisal and emotion regulation.
2. Lehto and colleagues (2008)
Take-home: Psychodynamic psychotherapy was associated with changes in midbrain serotonin transporter density in patients with atypical depression. In adults with non-atypical depression, therapy was not associated with change in transporter density of serotonin in the midbrain or dopamine in the striatum.