The Brain

This unusually ambitious study looked at the impact of psychodynamic psychotherapy on specific brain functions that correlate with depression. After an eight-month course of psychodynamic therapy focused on ‘intrapsychic conflict and ‘dysfunctional interpersonal relations,’ 18 adults with long-term depression had marked changes in brain functions associated with emotional regulation and reactivity – specifically the amygdala and the basal ganglia.

Meta-analysis of multiple neuroimagery studies show that there are distinct differences in the brain involvement in disorders identified as neurological versus those identified as psychological. “Basal ganglia, insula, sensorimotor and temporal cortex showed greater impairment in neurological disorders; whereas cingulate, medial frontal, superior frontal and occipital cortex showed greater impairment in psychiatric disorders. The two classes of disorders affected distinct …

Psychiatric Disorders are not Neurological Disorders Read More »

A recent study conducted by John M. Kane at Hofstra Northshore-LIJ School of Medicine showed that “treatment programs that emphasized low doses of psychotropic drugs, along with individual psychotherapy, family education and a focus on social adaptation, resulted in decreased symptoms and increased wellness.” Makari writes “Unfortunately, Dr. Kane’s study arrives alongside a troubling new reality. His project was made …

Psychiatry’s Mind-Brain Problem Read More »

A new study suggests that – in contrast to the commonly held theory in neuroscience that the brain is far more active during conscious processing than unconscious processing – some unconscious perceptions arouse multiple areas of the brain. This corroborates the finding observed in psychoanalytic process that an enormous amount of psychic activity takes place unconsciously, that the mind is …

Leading theory of consciousness rocked by oddball study Read More »

This study found neurological changes in patients undergoing long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, changes that correlated with reduced depression.