Neuroanatomical changes after eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment in posttraumatic stress disorder

Several authors have found smaller hippocampal volumes in patients with PTSD and some have suggested that psychotropic drugs may promote hippocampus neurogenesis and reverse the decrease in hippocampus volume.1 However, the only study that has investigated the effects of psychotherapy on hippocampus volume failed to show a volumetric increase after effective psychotherapy. The authors evaluated the hippocampus volumetric changes after successful EMDR treatment of a 27-year-old man with a chronic PTSD related to the suicide of his mother. After 8 weeks of EMDR treatment the patient had an increase in both left and right hippocampus volumes.

Journal

English

Letizia Bossini
Andrea Fagiolini
Paolo Castrogiovanni

Bossini, L., Fagiolini, A., & Castrogiovanni, P. (2007, November). Neuroanatomical changes after eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment in posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Neuropsychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, 19(4), 475-476. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.19.4.475