[Neurobiology and psychotherapy].
Body, brain and mind are all manifestations of one single organism; all mental processes are based on biological-neuronal processes and events. Advances in neurobiology have increasingly enabled the decoding of the correlates of psychological functions: genetic conditions, brain processes from sensation to cognition and from emotion to empathy, and social interaction. In the latter area, which is decisive for psychosocial research, neurobiological investigations are in their very early stages. Complex psychological functions are represented in networks; this renders it impossible to adopt simple reductionist approaches. Clinical phenomena such as pain or depression are also represented in neuronal networks. An abundance of neurobiological data validates (positively or negatively) psychological, psychotherapeutic or psychiatric theories or therapies. Such validation is indispensable. To date, there are no known fundamentally new approaches to psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practice which are derived from neurobiological data. Psychological phenomena emerge from neurobiological processes. Therefore, psychosocial approaches will be necessary in the future to understand such data in the context of methodological dualism (neurobiological versus psychosocial research methods).
Schussler
Gerhard
G
Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Medical University Innsbruck, Schöpfstr. 23a, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. gerhard.schuessler@uibk.ac.at
D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011613:Psychotherapy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012106:Research