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In this article we suggest a working definition for the concept of "neuropsychotherapy" encompassing three areas: the identification of mediators and targets of psychotherapeutic effects, the determination of new therapeutic routes using neurotechnology, and the design of psychotherapeutic interventions based on neuroscientific knowledge. We review...
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Citations
... Some scholars have recently proposed integrating methods of psychotherapy and neuroimaging using a complementary neurobehavioral combination of knowledge to increase understanding of the interpersonal processes in psychotherapy (Gilbert, 2019;Grandjean et al., 2020;Walter et al., 2009). Such an intersection between psychotherapy and neuroscience holds promise for bettering the world. ...
Advancements in neuroscience point to the physical occurrence of resonance as fundamental to human consciousness. This hermeneutic study examines resonance as a neurological and psychological construct in the field of clinical psychology through a framework of dynamic systems. Resonance is assessed in its psychobiological manifestations as well as its transtheoretical potential as a conceptual bridge within and between disciplines of clinical psychology and neuroscience. This research addresses a gap in the literature by elucidating the features of psychological resonance from multiple vantage points, grounding this discussion in a wider context of neural integration, cognitive dissonance, and coherent vs. fragmented selfhood. A definition of intrapersonal resonance is established as a starting point to provide a common clinical vernacular and encourage multidisciplinary discourse. Clinical and research recommendations are presented to promote individually tailored treatments in an integrative psychotherapy paradigm.
... In addition, compared to fMRI-based NF, low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) NF is another more economical approach based on the theory of brain volume conduction [62]. LORETA NF could be regarded as a form of neuropsychotherapy [63] to more accurately restore the reduced volume and downregulate the activity of neural mediators related to excessive smartphone use (i.e., BA 18 and BA46; Table 4). ...
Background:
Despite known association of internet addiction with a reduced brain volume and abnormal connectivity, the impact of excessive smartphone use remains unclear.
Methods:
PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrial.gov, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched from inception to July 2022 using appropriate keywords for observational studies comparing differences in brain volumes and activations between excessive smartphone users and individuals with regular use by magnetic resonance imaging.
Results:
Of the 11 eligible studies retrieved from 6993 articles initially screened, seven and six evaluated brain volumes and activations, respectively. The former enrolled 421 participants (165 excessive smartphone users vs. 256 controls), while the latter recruited 276 subjects with 139 excessive smartphone users. The results demonstrated a smaller brain volume in excessive smartphone users compared to the controls (g = -0.55, p < 0.001), especially in subcortical regions (p < 0.001). Besides, the impact was more pronounced in adolescents than in adults (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between impulsivity and volume reduction. Regarding altered activations, the convergences of foci in the declive of the posterior lobe of cerebellum, the lingual gyrus, and the middle frontal gyrus were noted.
Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrated a potential association of excessive smartphone use with a reduced brain volume and altered activations.
... Σύμφωνα με τον Aaron Beck, ένας από τα σημαντικότερα πρόσωπα που έχουν διαδραματίσει κρίσιμο ρόλο στη διάθρωση της γνωστικής θεραπείας, η αποτελεσματικότερη αντιμετώπιση της κατάθλιψης φαίνεται να είναι ο συνδυασμός νευροβιολογικών δεδομένων και ψυχοθεραπείας. Με αυτόν τον τρόπο, ο οποίος θα πρέπει να ακολουθείται σε όλες τις διαταραχές, δίνει ακριβέστερες οδηγίες για το τί και το πώς του εγκεφαλικού περιβάλλοντος πριν, μετά και κατά τη διάρκεια της ψυχοθεραπευτικής παρέμβασης (Walter, Berger & Schnell, 2009). Πολλοί είναι εκείνοι που υποστηρίζουν πως η ψυχοθεραπεία, ως διαδικασία κι επιστημονική πρακτική, είναι ικανή να προάγει ένα ισχυρό θεραπευτικό αποτέλεσμα ισότιμο με αυτό των φαρμακευτικών παραγόντων (Barlow, 2014). ...
... Για την έρευνα πάνω στην οποία ξεκίνησε το κίνημα της νευροψυχοθεραπείας, βοήθησαν τεχνολογικές εφευρέσεις όπως οι νευροαπεικονιστικές τεχνικές καθώς και η ανάπτυξη της Γνωστικής νευροεπιστήμης. Στόχοι της έρευνας για τη νευροψυχοθεραπεία αποτελούν η αναγνώριση των νευρικών μηχανισμών και στόχων των ψυχοθεραπευτικών παρεμβάσεων, η ανακάλυψη νέων θεραπευτικών οδών με τη βοήθεια των μέσων της νευροτεχνολογίας και ο σχεδιασμός νέων ψυχοθεραπευτικών παρεμβάσεων βάσει των νέων νευροφυσιολογικών γνώσεων (Walter, Berger, & Schnell, 2009). Με τον τρόπο αυτόν θα εμπλουτιστεί η κλινική πράξη καθώς θα υπάρξει μία στοχευμένη διαδι-Το νευροεπιστημονικό υπόβαθρο της ψυχοθεραπείας ◆ 11 κασία για τη βελτίωση των εγκεφαλικών περιοχών που πλήγονται από τις ψυχιατρικές νόσους. ...
... Με τη σύνθεση νευροεπιστήμης και ψυχοθεραπείας, έχουμε τη γέννηση ενός νέου επιστημονικού τομέα, της νευροψυχοθεραπείας. Πρόκειται για την προσπάθεια κατανόησης των δυνατοτήτων του εγκεφάλου -μέρος μιας γενικότερης προσπάθειας για την πλήρη αποκρυπτογράφησή του-και της ψυχολογικής θεραπείας ως ένα εργαλείο για τα καλύτερα δυνατά συμπεριφορικά αποτελέσματα, τα οποία έχουν τη βάση τους στην νευροανατομική και νευροχημική του λειτουργία (Walter, Berger, & Schnell, 2009). Η κίνηση αυτή έχει την αφετηρία της στο εγκαταλελειμμένο έργο του Freud «Για μία Επιστημονική Ψυχολογία» (Φρόυντ, 1962), το οποίο αποσκοπούσε στο να θέσει νευρωνικές βάσεις στη διαδικασία της ψυχολογίας (Rossouw, 2011). ...
Recently we witness a general tendency to synthesize psychotherapeutic models, as well as, a tendency to explore the effects of psychotherapy on the brain. This article summarizes a large volume of literature on the neuroscientific substrate of psychotherapy starting with scientific findings located in Ancient times till recent literature. The published literature that deals with the effects of psychotherapy on the brain includes studies, usually neuroimaging ones, which examine the neurological aspects of the most popular models of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. All researchers draw the conclusion that psychotherapy affects the brain functions, such as neuroplasticity,learning and memory, neurogenesis, mood and emotions, thus leading to an improvement of mental health. The discussion leads to the constitution of a new discipline, the Neuropsychotherapy, whichis promising for the liberation from the grip of psychiatric disorders.
... 81 Therapist adherence to technique, patients' facilitation of therapist efforts, and quality of the working alliance have been consistently associated with therapy outcomes. [82][83][84] Thus, it remains to be determined how pretreatment neuroimaging measures can add to prediction of outcome beyond such process variables. ...
... The prognostic utility of neuroimaging compared to more easily measured clinical variables also needs to be examined, as there may be ethical concerns in investing resources to research a technology that is currently of limited accessibility. 84 In addition, psychotherapy, perhaps more than any other biological treatment, is a dynamic process informed by the interaction between a host of therapist and patient factors. The role that pretreatment neuroimaging measures play in predicting the outcome of such a process needs to be further investigated, as does the potential prognostic role of neuroimaging changes that occur early in therapy. ...
... While a reliable prognostic marker could conceivably be a useful adjunct to clinical care, it would be important to guard against the possibility of becoming overly reliant on such a measure and thus overly reductionist in our approach to patient care. 84 The growing consensus in psychiatric research is that environmental factors should be considered as "covariables" to any proposed biomarker; 3 it remains to be seen how such an integrated predictive model can be actualized. ...
Introduction:
Predictive neuroimaging markers of treatment response are increasingly sought in order to inform the treatment of major depressive and anxiety disorders. We review the existing literature regarding candidate predictive neuroimaging markers of psychotherapy response and assess their potential clinical utility.
Methods:
We searched Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed up to October 2014 for studies correlating pretreatment neuroimaging parameters with psychotherapy response in major depressive and anxiety disorders. Our search yielded 40 eligible studies.
Results:
The anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and anterior insula emerged as potential markers in major depressive disorder and some anxiety disorders. Results across studies displayed a large degree of variability, however, and to date the findings have not been systematically validated in independent clinical cohorts and have not been shown capable of distinguishing between medication and psychotherapy responders. Also limited is the examination of how neuroimaging compares or might add to other prognostic clinical variables.
Conclusion:
While the extant data suggest avenues of further investigation, we are still far from being able to use these markers clinically. Future studies need to focus on longitudinal testing of potential markers, determining their prescriptive value and examining how they might be integrated with clinical factors.
... In line with this opinion, neurological problems were associated with outward symptoms such as amnesia, or Alzheimer's disease, not with psychological disorders (Arden, 2010). Individual "brain-based" ailments were automatically categorized into organic (neurological) ailments or otherwise deemed merely a psychological problem due to the lack of evidence suggesting observable or measurable changes in the neurobiology of the ailing individual (Walter, Berger, & Schnell, 2009). In recent decades, however, a body of research has challenged this perspective and presented a fresh one, namely, that psychological disturbances do have a neurological basis (Kandel, 1998;Walter et al., 2009). ...
... Individual "brain-based" ailments were automatically categorized into organic (neurological) ailments or otherwise deemed merely a psychological problem due to the lack of evidence suggesting observable or measurable changes in the neurobiology of the ailing individual (Walter, Berger, & Schnell, 2009). In recent decades, however, a body of research has challenged this perspective and presented a fresh one, namely, that psychological disturbances do have a neurological basis (Kandel, 1998;Walter et al., 2009). Furthermore, this neurological basis can be altered-that is, one's neural architecture can be shifted and developed in a therapeutic manner through (amongst other factors) psychotherapy and positive environmental interactions (Grawe, 2007;Siegel, 2001). ...
The experience of social interaction is important for well-being. Research has indicated that the nature of social interactions can initiate neurobiological changes and developments within the human brain. Interactions that foster an individual's sense of safety can inform the development of healthy, adaptive neural pathways whereas social interactions that compromise this sense of safety can inform the development of unhelpful, maladaptive neural pathways. These neurological developments, defined as neural plasticity, further inform patterns of behavior , which, over time (and depending on the nature of social interaction), can result in psychological health or patterns of pathology. The present study investigated the relationship between negative social interaction on the Internet, psychological well-being, levels of aggression, and aggressive behavioral responses. Two hundred and four community members completed an online self-report questionnaire, assessing time spent online, interaction-based experiences online, perceived psychological well-being, perceived aggression, and aggressive responses to five hypothetical situations. Correlational analyses revealed a negative relationship between feeling abused or victimized when online and psychological well-being, and a positive relationship between experiencing negative interactions online and levels of aggression. However, the nature of online interactions did not significantly relate to aggressive behavioral responses. The significant correlational findings of the study illustrate the importance of considering individual exposure to negative Internet-based social interactions and the risk this poses to individual well-being. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
... The conjunction of psychotherapy and neuroscience is an area of current research (Linden, 2006). In a more systematic way, some authors like Walter, Berger, and Schnell (2009) recovered the term "neuropsychotherapy," introduced by Klaus Grawe in 2004 to foster the research concerning the neurobiological study of psychotherapy. Those researchers expanded the concept suggesting that it would include: (1) the identification of targets and neural mediators of the functional effects of psychotherapy; (2) the determination of new ways of psychotherapeutic interventions using neurotechnology; and (3) planning or designing of those interventions based on available scientific knowledge. ...
Sleep disorders and sleep disturbances are considered nowadays a major public health problem. Within sleep problems, insomnia is the most common health complaint. The maintenance of insomnia symptoms may lead to a clinical disorder – Insomnia Disorder (ID). A significant amount of literature has shown the efficacy and effectiveness of psychological treatments for ID. Often, the evaluation of therapeutic processes and outcomes focuses on subjective measures such as sleep diaries. In this work, we review the few published studies that evaluate modifications in neurobiological domain related to evidence-based psychological interventions, namely cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). The search was carried out consulting Scopus, PubMed, and ISI Web of Knowledge databases. Only 12 studies were found. From the reviewed papers it was observed that the results are diverse, perhaps due to significant differences pertaining to the methodologies used. However, one interesting finding emerged: daytime experiments on insomnia comprising mainly cognitive tasks denoted hypofunction in ID patients, whereas nighttime experiments mainly associated with affective/emotional tasks denoted hyperarousal. We suggest that the study of the neural changes prompted by CBT-I is a major topic in the domain of psychotherapy and sleep medicine. Despite the scarce studies on neurobiological mechanisms of CBT-I, the results achieved until now are promising and should be taken into account in the future. Nonetheless, more research on this topic is needed.
... Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is one of the most widely used neuroimaging techniques (Hamilton, Chen, Thomason, Schwartz, & Gotlib, 2011;de Ruiter, Veltman, Phaf, & van Dyck, 2007;Seminowicz et al., 2004;Walter, Berger, & Schnell, 2009). This technique relies on blood flow and blood oxygenation changes (i.e., Blood-Oxygen-Level Dependent [BOLD] signals) occurring in the brain over time, which are closely related to neural activity. ...
... However, personality constructs underlying numerous personality tests, and the Rorschach in particular, are explained by a pattern of various underlying factors that mostly vary together. Early research conducted on the detection of cognitive and somatosensory brain processes (de Ruiter et al. 2007;Hamilton et al. 2011;Seminowicz et al., 2004;Walter et al., 2009) have mainly investigated aspects of functional segregation. ...
Despite advances in neuroscience, the field of personality assessment has not yet taken full advantage of the progress in neuroimaging techniques. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is one of the most widely used neuroimaging techniques and allows the detection of brain processes and their anatomically detailed correspondences. In the last fifteen years, few studies have developed research designs using the Rorschach test in fMRI settings, analyzing the relationship between Rorschach variables and brain neural circuits. Although their findings were promising, some methodological issues related to fMRI research design have been outlined. Recently, personality neuroscience is emerging as a new field of research that attempts to deepen and refine neurobiological and psychological theories of personality using fMRI in resting state conditions. Recent studies report that resting state networks show a direct relationship with psychological traits. The aim of the present article is to propose a new research design that employs resting-state functional connectivity analyses to explore the brain’s functional architecture in relation to psychological constructs of Rorschach variables related to perceptual styles and personality traits.
... 467). Eric Kandel also outlined the interaction between brain processes and environment via alteration of gene expression and, following the strengthening of synaptic connections, as the foundation of human beliefs, attitudes, memories, personality and dispositions (Walter et al., 2009). In addition, he brought forward the important idea of the interaction between patients' "neuronal machineries" (p. ...
... In the current literature neuropsychotherapy is referred to as an "increasingly popular field of research" (Walter et al., 2009, S174) as well as the "natural result of neurobiological research" (Rossouw, 2011, p. 3). It is also important to note, that the term "neuropsychotherapy" has been used in different countries and in rather different modalities (Grawe, 2007;Judd, 1999;Kaplan-Solms & Solms, 2000;Laaksonen & Ranta, 2013;Walter et al., 2009). ...
... In the current literature neuropsychotherapy is referred to as an "increasingly popular field of research" (Walter et al., 2009, S174) as well as the "natural result of neurobiological research" (Rossouw, 2011, p. 3). It is also important to note, that the term "neuropsychotherapy" has been used in different countries and in rather different modalities (Grawe, 2007;Judd, 1999;Kaplan-Solms & Solms, 2000;Laaksonen & Ranta, 2013;Walter et al., 2009). Generally speaking, one group of researchers relate neuropsychotherapy to "the use of neuropsychological knowledge in the psychotherapy of persons with brain disorders" (Judd, 1999, p. 3) or, in other words, working with impacts of "neurological dysfunction or syndromes" in patients (Laaksonen & Ranta, 2013, p. 1). ...
... 467). Eric Kandel also outlined the interaction between brain processes and environment via alteration of gene expression and, following the strengthening of synaptic connections, as the foundation of human beliefs, attitudes, memories, personality and dispositions (Walter et al., 2009). In addition, he brought forward the important idea of the interaction between patients' "neuronal machineries" (p. ...
... In the current literature neuropsychotherapy is referred to as an "increasingly popular field of research" (Walter et al., 2009, S174) as well as the "natural result of neurobiological research" (Rossouw, 2011, p. 3). It is also important to note, that the term "neuropsychotherapy" has been used in different countries and in rather different modalities (Grawe, 2007;Judd, 1999;Kaplan-Solms & Solms, 2000;Laaksonen & Ranta, 2013;Walter et al., 2009). ...
... In the current literature neuropsychotherapy is referred to as an "increasingly popular field of research" (Walter et al., 2009, S174) as well as the "natural result of neurobiological research" (Rossouw, 2011, p. 3). It is also important to note, that the term "neuropsychotherapy" has been used in different countries and in rather different modalities (Grawe, 2007;Judd, 1999;Kaplan-Solms & Solms, 2000;Laaksonen & Ranta, 2013;Walter et al., 2009). Generally speaking, one group of researchers relate neuropsychotherapy to "the use of neuropsychological knowledge in the psychotherapy of persons with brain disorders" (Judd, 1999, p. 3) or, in other words, working with impacts of "neurological dysfunction or syndromes" in patients (Laaksonen & Ranta, 2013, p. 1). ...
From the late 20th century until the present time, researchers in the broad field of psychological science have been noting the need for refined intellectual frameworks to arise (Homskaya, 2010; Kandel, 1998, Rossouw, 2011; Rossouw, 2014). Western views that are presented in the following pages refer to “…the dawn of the mental health renaissance.” (Rossouw, 2011, p. 3), which was heralded by the “…new intellectual framework in psychiatry” (Kandel, 1998, p. 457) and the corresponding technological advances in the neurosciences. As a result, the emerging field of brain-based care is rapidly gaining momentum - a neuroscientifically informed therapy or neuropsychotherapy (Grawe, 2007, Rossouw, 2014).
In the early years of 20th century a group of academics in the field of psychology in Russia formed a new school, which during the restricted times of Soviet regime received insufficient recognition on a global scale (Kostyanaya & Rossouw, 2013). The investigators aimed at developing an “objective” approach to understanding the connection between mind and brain with latest research focussed on the problem of personality, its neural correlates and the impact of society on human mental functioning (Homskaya, 2010; Luria, 1979). Due to the opening of the iron curtain and present-day globalisation more literature on Soviet psychological developments is being translated and is becoming available for a broader audience (see, for example multiple works of Akhutina (2003), Akhutina & Pylaeva, 2012; Leontiev (2005a, 2005b, 2012, 2013), published in English). This new state of affairs allows the comparative analysis of Soviet paradigms and the contemporary Western paradigms which is the general aim of this paper.
In the first part of the paper a neuropscyhotherapeutic framework is presented, starting with an outline of its roots and most current conceptualisations of neuropsychotherapy as a research field. The second part of the report focuses on the development of Soviet school of psychology and its main postulates. The third part of the report includes the comparative analysis of the two paradigms as well as a consideration for future analytic inquiry in this area. The final part of the paper closes with a succinct conclusion.
... For example it may very well be that psychotherapeutic approaches will emerge as the best way to treat certain types of disorders. In fact, psychotherapists see no general problem in integrating their approach into such a framework as psychological mechanisms and principles that are effective in psychotherapy can be conceptualized as part of cognitive neuroscience itself (Walter et al., 2009;Disner et al., 2011). Also, the role of psychosocial and cultural factors can be integrated effortlessly as the MPC approach by Kendler et al. (2011a,b) makes clear: if social factors or societal and cultural mechanisms are part of the causal machinery that contributes to the instantiation of typical clusters of signs and symptoms that characterize psychiatric disorders they are part of the underlying explanatory structure. ...
In this article the contribution of neuroscience to the concept of mental disorder is discussed against the background of biological psychiatry and philosophy of mind.
Psychiatric nosology is confronted by similar challenges as every general nosology. Among these are the role of dysfunction versus "normal" function, the fuzzy boundary of health and disorder, the role of subjective suffering and the role of causal mechanisms. In the case of mental disorders, a further issue is that every nosology has to take a stance about what mental processes actually are. In this article, the disorder concepts of the fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) and of the research domain criteria (RDoC) approach of the National Institute of Mental Health are explained and discussed. Furthermore, it is argued that a sound psychiatric nosology should not be purely descriptive but should also take the causal mechanisms of disorders into account. A recent suggestion, the theory of mechanistic property clusters, is introduced. Taking recent discussion on the philosophy of mind into account, it becomes apparent that the obvious assumption that mental disorders are (nothing more than) disorders of the brain might not be correct: at least this has been suggested by the theory of situated cognition. It is concluded that a sound psychiatric nosology will have to consider contemporary theories of mental disorders; however, such a synthesis has yet to be formulated.
