Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia
Exposure therapy is a well-studied and highly efficacious treatment for phobic disorders. Although the neurobiological model of fear is well underpinned by various studies, the mechanisms of exposure therapy are still under discussion. Partly, this is due to the fact that most neurophysiological met...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2020-01-01
|
| Series: | NeuroImage: Clinical |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158220300565 |
| _version_ | 1818610253632110592 |
|---|---|
| author | David Rosenbaum Elisabeth J. Leehr Julian Rubel Moritz J. Maier Valeria Pagliaro Kira Deutsch Justin Hudak Florian G. Metzger Andreas J. Fallgatter Ann-Christine Ehlis |
| author_facet | David Rosenbaum Elisabeth J. Leehr Julian Rubel Moritz J. Maier Valeria Pagliaro Kira Deutsch Justin Hudak Florian G. Metzger Andreas J. Fallgatter Ann-Christine Ehlis |
| author_sort | David Rosenbaum |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Exposure therapy is a well-studied and highly efficacious treatment for phobic disorders. Although the neurobiological model of fear is well underpinned by various studies, the mechanisms of exposure therapy are still under discussion. Partly, this is due to the fact that most neurophysiological methods like fMRI are not able to be used in the natural therapeutic settings.The current study used in situ measurements of cortical blood oxygenation (O2Hb) during exposure therapy by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy. 37 subjects (N = 30 completers) underwent exposure therapy during 5 adapted sessions in which subjects were exposed to Tegenaria Domestica (domestic house spider – experimental condition) and Dendrobaena Veneta/ Eisenaia hortensis (red earthworm – control condition).Compared to the control condition, patients showed higher O2Hb levels in the anticipation and exposure phase of spider exposure in areas of the cognitive control network (CCN). Further, significant decreases in O2Hb were observed during the session accompanied by reductions in fear related symptoms. However, while symptoms decreased in a linear quadratic manner, with higher reductions in the beginning of the session, CCN activity decreased linearly. Further, higher anxiety at the beginning of session one was associated with increased O2Hb in the CCN. This association decreased within the following sessions.The current study sheds light on the neuronal mechanisms of exposure therapy. The results are discussed in light of a phase model of exposure therapy that posits a role of cognitive control in the beginning and routine learning at the end of the therapy session. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:11:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-665193a75f0a45ea981c261aae1e60f8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2213-1582 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:11:30Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage: Clinical |
| spelling | doaj.art-665193a75f0a45ea981c261aae1e60f82022-12-21T22:26:57ZengElsevierNeuroImage: Clinical2213-15822020-01-0126Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobiaDavid Rosenbaum0Elisabeth J. Leehr1Julian Rubel2Moritz J. Maier3Valeria Pagliaro4Kira Deutsch5Justin Hudak6Florian G. Metzger7Andreas J. Fallgatter8Ann-Christine Ehlis9Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; Corresponding author: Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.Department of Psychiatry, University of Muenster, Muenster, GermanyPsychotherapy Research Lab, Psychology and Sport Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, GermanyFraunhofer IAO | Center for Responsible Research and Innovation, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; LEAD Graduate School & Research Network, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, GermanyExposure therapy is a well-studied and highly efficacious treatment for phobic disorders. Although the neurobiological model of fear is well underpinned by various studies, the mechanisms of exposure therapy are still under discussion. Partly, this is due to the fact that most neurophysiological methods like fMRI are not able to be used in the natural therapeutic settings.The current study used in situ measurements of cortical blood oxygenation (O2Hb) during exposure therapy by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy. 37 subjects (N = 30 completers) underwent exposure therapy during 5 adapted sessions in which subjects were exposed to Tegenaria Domestica (domestic house spider – experimental condition) and Dendrobaena Veneta/ Eisenaia hortensis (red earthworm – control condition).Compared to the control condition, patients showed higher O2Hb levels in the anticipation and exposure phase of spider exposure in areas of the cognitive control network (CCN). Further, significant decreases in O2Hb were observed during the session accompanied by reductions in fear related symptoms. However, while symptoms decreased in a linear quadratic manner, with higher reductions in the beginning of the session, CCN activity decreased linearly. Further, higher anxiety at the beginning of session one was associated with increased O2Hb in the CCN. This association decreased within the following sessions.The current study sheds light on the neuronal mechanisms of exposure therapy. The results are discussed in light of a phase model of exposure therapy that posits a role of cognitive control in the beginning and routine learning at the end of the therapy session.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158220300565Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)Exposure TherapyPsychotherapy researchArachnophobiaPhobiaChange mechanism |
| spellingShingle | David Rosenbaum Elisabeth J. Leehr Julian Rubel Moritz J. Maier Valeria Pagliaro Kira Deutsch Justin Hudak Florian G. Metzger Andreas J. Fallgatter Ann-Christine Ehlis Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia NeuroImage: Clinical Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) Exposure Therapy Psychotherapy research Arachnophobia Phobia Change mechanism |
| title | Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia |
| title_full | Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia |
| title_fullStr | Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia |
| title_short | Cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy – in situ fNIRS measurements in arachnophobia |
| title_sort | cortical oxygenation during exposure therapy in situ fnirs measurements in arachnophobia |
| topic | Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) Exposure Therapy Psychotherapy research Arachnophobia Phobia Change mechanism |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158220300565 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidrosenbaum corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT elisabethjleehr corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT julianrubel corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT moritzjmaier corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT valeriapagliaro corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT kiradeutsch corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT justinhudak corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT floriangmetzger corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT andreasjfallgatter corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia AT annchristineehlis corticaloxygenationduringexposuretherapyinsitufnirsmeasurementsinarachnophobia |