Imaging Outcomes of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Battered Women With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Identifying neural mechanisms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment could help elucidate reasons for variable treatment response and identify novel treatment targets. Exposure-based therapies have been associated with decreased amygdala and increased cingulate cortex response during emotional processing. The current study examined whether cognitive therapy for PTSD in women reduces activation in insula and amygdala and enhances activation in prefrontal regions during emotional anticipation and pre-treatment prefrontal activation predicts treatment response.