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The Neurobiological Foundations of Psychotherapy

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Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Research

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Psychiatry ((CCPSY))

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Abstract

Psychotherapy is an interactive process that addresses maladaptive behaviors and mental states through the use of structured communication. Although psychotherapeutic systems and techniques have evolved independently of neurobiological science, there has been a tacit understanding, at least since the days of Freud, that psychotherapy produces its effects by acting on the brain. Modern technology has underscored the importance of this concept, as functional imaging reveals the neural activation patterns associated with behavioral dysfunction, and how these patterns can be modified through psychotherapy.

*  Some of the materials in this chapter have been adapted with the author’s (who is copyright holder) permission from Refs. [1–4].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions, St. Louis, MO, USA

    George I. Viamontes M.D., Ph.D.

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  1. George I. Viamontes M.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to George I. Viamontes M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Parkman St., Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Raymond A. Levy

  2. Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Morrimac Street 101, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    J. Stuart Ablon

  3. and Psychoanalysis, International Psychoanalytic University, Department of Clinical Psychology, Stromstr. 3, Berlin, 10555, Germany

    Horst Kächele

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Viamontes, G.I. (2012). The Neurobiological Foundations of Psychotherapy. In: Levy, R., Ablon, J., Kächele, H. (eds) Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Research. Current Clinical Psychiatry. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-792-1_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-792-1_19

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60761-791-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60761-792-1

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