Abstract
What can neuropsychoanalysis contribute to psychodynamic therapy? This is the central question in the current chapter.
We therefore introduce our own brain imaging study on chronic depression and psychodynamic therapy. A central aspect of psychodynamic therapy is the access to the own memories, specifically, autobiographical memories as distinguished from semantic memories as they are targeted in cognitive-behavioural therapy.
After reviewing some recent findings, we report a single case on chronic depression and how that is related to psychodynamic therapy and brain imaging. The focus is especially put on dreams and memories with both serving and indexing inner transformations in the structure of the ego.
Hence, we consider the treatment of autobiographical memories that allows to integrate trauma into the own self as well as the underlying neurobiological pathways in the brain as crucial to future neuropsychodynamic therapy.
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Notes
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See summary below.
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The patient refers to another “funny” dream. Before the dream he had a conflict with his wife which wasn’t treated openly. Instead the conflict led to an erectile dysfunction. Then he dreamed that he played on a guitar which had a very soft neck…
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Mathew Johnson: “.......” has created the metaphor of the “Black Dog“ for his depression. Mr. X. has read the book and sometimes refers to it during the psychoanalytic sessions.
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Leuzinger-Bohleber M, Hautzinger M, Fiedler G, Keller W, Bahrke U, Kallenbach L, Kaufhold J, Ernst M, Negele A, Schoett M, Küchenhoff H, Günther F, Rüger B, Beutel M. Outcome of psychoanalytic and cognitive-behavioral long-term-therapy with chronically depressed patients. A controlled trial with preferential and randomized allocation. Can J Psychiatr. 2018a; in press.
Leuzinger-Bohleber M, Kaufhold J, Kallenbach L, Negele A, Ernst M, Keller W, Fiedler G, Hautzinger M, Beutel M. Does sustained symptomatic improvement of chronically depressed patients need structural change in long-term psychotherapies? Findings from the LAC depression study comparing the outcomes of cognitive-behavioral and psychoanalytic long-term treatments. Int J Psychoanal. 2018b; in press.
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Leuzinger-Bohleber, M., Fischmann, T. (2018). Neuroscientifically Inspired Psychoanalysis: Chronic Depression as a Paradigmatical Example. In: Boeker, H., Hartwich, P., Northoff, G. (eds) Neuropsychodynamic Psychiatry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75112-2_29
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75112-2_29
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