title: The bridge between two worlds: psychoanalysis and fMRI.
abstract: In recent years, a connection between psychoanalysis and neuroscience has been sought. The meeting point between these two branches is represented by neuropsychoanalysis. The goal of the relationship between psychoanalysis and neuroscience is to test psychoanalytic hypotheses in the human brain, using a scientific method. A literature search was conducted on May 2015. PubMed and Scopus databases were used to find studies for the inclusion in the systematic review. Common results of the studies investigated are represented by a reduction, a modulation, or a normalization of the activation patterns found after the psychoanalytic therapy. New findings in the possible and useful relationship between psychoanalysis and neuroscience could change the modalities of relating to patients for psychoanalysts and the way in which neuroscientists plan their research. Researchers should keep in mind that in any scientific research that has to do with people, neuroscience and a scientific method cannot avoid subjective interpretation.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1771-6940
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Tizio
authors.forename: Sira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dezi
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Armuzzi
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pelaccia
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valchera
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sepede
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Girinelli
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Berardis
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinotti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gambi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Giannantonio
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000639:trends*; D011572:Psychoanalysis / Q000639:trends*