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Treatment for social anxiety disorder alters amygdala-prefrontal functional connectivity: preliminary findings from a randomized controlled trial

Talk by Dr. Katie Young, Oxford University

Info about event

Time

Friday 23 September 2016,  at 11:00 - 13:00

Location

Room 1481-233, Jens Chr. Skous Vej 4, 8000 Aarhus C

Organizer

Christine Parsons

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterised by an excessive fear of being judged or scrutinized by others in social situations. While psychological treatments have been shown to be efficacious for SAD, many individuals do not respond, or retain residual symptoms and impairment after treatment. Better understanding of treatment mechanisms, such as associated changes in neural activity, may ultimately aid the development of more targeted interventions. This talk will describe recent findings from a randomized controlled trial in which participants with SAD underwent fMRI scanning before and after psychological treatment (cognitive behavioural therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy). Results suggest that effective treatment is associated with enhanced regulation of amygdala reactivity by ventral prefrontal cortical regions. This supports the current neural model of anxiety disorders and suggests that psychological treatments can effectively enhance functioning within this neural circuitry.

Dr. Young is a post-doctoral fellow in the Anxiety and Depression Research Center (ADRC). Her research investigates commonalities and distinctions in neural mediators of anxiety and depression. She is particularly interested in examining differential processing of social cues (emotional facial expressions and vocalisations) across mood disorders. Dr. Young received her doctorate from the University of Oxford where her work focused on behavioural and neural responses to infant vocalisations in adults with and without depression.

Contact: Katie Young, PhD kyoung@psych.ucla.edu