The prefrontal cerebral cortex (PFC) , in addition to its role in selective attention, working memory, planning, and problem-solving, interacts with and modulates the amygdala, the primitive subcortical structure associated with anxiety-provoking memories. We can consider a hypothesis that this interaction may be involved in some therapeutic interventions such as cognitive reprocessing for anxiety disorders such as PTSD. A neuroscience review of the PFC-amygdala interaction is this one:
Brain links of PFC and amygdala in anxiety: Berkowitz, RL and others, The human dimension: how the prefrontal cortex modulates the subcortical fear response, Review of Neuroscience. 2007 18(191-207) in PubMed at www.ncbi.nih.gov/pubmed/
Client manuals. CBT client manuals by David Barlow and others such as Mastery of Your Anxiety and Worry, 2nd ed. at http://www.ishk-ce.com/ . See New Harbinger publications for client manual by Edmund Bourne, The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, and related CBT manuals at http://www.newharbinger.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=330
PTSD. New guidelines on PTSD treatments (APA Monitor on Psychology, January 2008 p. 40). Three of the effective treatments described were
1. Prolonged-exposure therapy in which traumatic memories are recalled in a controlled fashion to regain cognitive mastery
2. Cognitive-processing therapy that includes exposure but places emphasis on cognitive strategies to help correct maladaptive thoughts about the event
3. Stress-innoculation training that teaches methods to reduce anxiety such as breathing and muscle relaxation.
Brain links of PFC and amygdala in anxiety: Berkowitz, RL and others, The human dimension: how the prefrontal cortex modulates the subcortical fear response, Review of Neuroscience. 2007 18(191-207) in PubMed at www.ncbi.nih.gov/pubmed/
Client manuals. CBT client manuals by David Barlow and others such as Mastery of Your Anxiety and Worry, 2nd ed. at http://www.ishk-ce.com/ . See New Harbinger publications for client manual by Edmund Bourne, The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, and related CBT manuals at http://www.newharbinger.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=330
PTSD. New guidelines on PTSD treatments (APA Monitor on Psychology, January 2008 p. 40). Three of the effective treatments described were
1. Prolonged-exposure therapy in which traumatic memories are recalled in a controlled fashion to regain cognitive mastery
2. Cognitive-processing therapy that includes exposure but places emphasis on cognitive strategies to help correct maladaptive thoughts about the event
3. Stress-innoculation training that teaches methods to reduce anxiety such as breathing and muscle relaxation.
