I found the following in a Prevention Magazine, August of 2006, page 49.
"Up to two-thirds of people with depression could recover with talk therapy alone, skipping drugs entirely. But until now, therapists had no way of identifying these patients. In a study at the U. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 14 clinically depressed people and 21 never-depressed volunteers read a list of negative and positive words while researchers monitored their brains.[PET scans] In the depressed group, negative words activated the amygdala (the brain region where emotions originate), but the SCC (where emotions are processed) slowed. There was no change in nondepressed volunteers. The depressed group then underwent 12 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Those with the greatest difference in activity between the two brain areas gained most from the therapy. In this group, the researchers believe, a sluggish SCC failed to interrupt negative thoughts; therapy seemed to awaken the SCC. The findings could lead to a screening test that would steer patients toward CBT or drugs, but it's still several years away."
It's nice to hear more encouraging evidence for trying CBT for depression. Peace, C.
An article of interest...
I am going to bump this to the top one year after it was written because it is so very interesting. (And SCC is just anatomy, subcallosal cingulate cortex, if memory serves me, and my spelling might be off if you look it up). Depression is measurable and fixable. And talk therapy is what we are doing right here in this community.
Thanks for posting this, Carolyn!
Thanks for posting this, Carolyn!
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