Abstract
The present article reviews empirical studies on emotional regulation in the human brain and integrates these findings into a wider theoretical framework comprising psychological and neurobiological concepts. Studies testing healthy subjects are discussed as well as studies testing patients suffering from psychiatric disorders associated with dysfunctional emotional regulation, such as depression, anxiety or borderline personality disorders. The conclusion is that the results obtained with neuroimaging methods do not yield direct implications for psychotherapeutic treatment of psychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, neuroscientific research proves to be important for clinical applications. Finally, results from a study investigating the effect of psychotherapy on brain activity are reported. These results demonstrate that psychotherapy and psychopharmacological treatment similarly affect brain metabolism.
Zusammenfassung
Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, beginnend mit einem Überblick über die Studien der Emotionsregulation im menschlichen Gehirn, die bis anhin vorliegenden Resultate in einen allgemeineren theoretischen Rahmen zwischen Psychologie und Neurobiologie zu integrieren. Nebst Forschungsarbeiten über die normale Regulierung von Emotionen werden hierbei auch Studien berücksichtigt, die mit Patienten gemacht wurden, die an Depressionen, Angststörungen oder einer Borderline-Persönlichkeitsstörung litten, Störungen also, die alle in diesem Themenbereich liegen. Zum Schluss werden noch die wenigen Studien besprochen, die sich mit der Wirkung von Psychotherapie auf die Hirnaktivität beschäftigen. Schlussfolgernd kann man sagen, dass neurobiologische Daten und Verhaltensdaten oft stark auseinanderklaffen. Deshalb ist es schwierig, aufgrund derartiger Resultate direkte Implikationen für die Psychotherapie zu finden. Die neurowissenschaftliche Forschung ist aber trotzdem von großer Bedeutung für die Psychotherapie. So gibt es erste Hinweise dafür, dass Psychotherapie eine ähnliche Wirkung im Gehirn haben könnte wie die psychopharmakologische Behandlung.
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Martin-Sölch, C. Neurowissenschaftliche Aspekte der Emotionsregulation. Psychotherapie Forum 12, 71–78 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00729-004-0042-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00729-004-0042-5