title: Neural correlation of successful cognitive behaviour therapy for spider phobia: a magnetoencephalography study.
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.
authors.affiliation: Lime Trees Child, Family & Adolescent Unit, North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust, York, United Kingdom. Electronic address: barry.wright1@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alderson-Day
authors.forename: Garreth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prendergast
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Docherty
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Whitton
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manea
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gouws
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013112:Spiders; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brain activation; Fear; Magnetoencephalography; Neuroimaging; Psychological therapy; Simple phobia