title: Effects on the brain of a psychological treatment: cognitive remediation therapy: functional magnetic resonance imaging in schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The results of one randomised control trial testing a psychological rehabilitation programme aimed at information processing strategies showed improvements in cognition post-treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether there are concomitant brain activation changes as a result of engaging in cognitive remediation therapy (CRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups (patients receiving control therapy or CRT and a healthy control group) were investigated in a repeated measures design using the two-back test. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and a broad assessment of executive functioning were completed at baseline and post-treatment. Brain activation changes were identified after accounting for possible task-correlated motion artefact.
  
  
  RESULTS
  fMRI analyses indicate that the control group showed decreased activation but the two patient groups showed an increase in activation over time. The patient group that received successful CRT had significantly increased brain activation in regions associated with working memory, particularly the frontocortical areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first time that brain activation changes in a seriously disabled group of patients with schizophrenia can be associated clearly with psychological rather than pharmacological therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK. t.wykes@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Til
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wykes
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brammer
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mellers
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reeder
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013997:Time Factors