Neural correlation of successful cognitive behaviour therapy for spider phobia: A magnetoencephalography study

Barry Wright, Ben Alderson-Day, Garreth Prendergast, Juliette Kennedy, Sophie Bennett, Mary Docherty, Clare Whitton, Laura Manea, Andre Gouws, Heather Tomlinson, Gary Green

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    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. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)444-451
    Number of pages7
    JournalPsychiatry Research - Neuroimaging
    Volume214
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 30 Dec 2013

    Keywords

    • Brain activation
    • Fear
    • Magnetoencephalography
    • Neuroimaging
    • Psychological therapy
    • Simple phobia

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