Brain blood for responses during EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing)－A study using NIRS

The purpose of this study is to identify the part of the brain in conjunction with the curative effect of EMDR and the pattern of the change of the autonomic nervous system. While carrying out EMDR, the 22Ch NIRS which can measure activities of brain parts by the oxygen concentration within a cerebral blood flow was used. Functions/changes of the autonomic nervous system were measured using the ProComp which measures skin conductance, skin temperature, finger plethysmogram, and respiratory amplitude. Subjects were four healthy adults (right-handed person). Before the experiment, the Stanford Sleepiness Scale and the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory were completed. Then interviews were conducted about the traumatic event, and clinical rating scales (DES-ⅡIES-R, JBCSS, SUDs) were filled in. The score of the scales significantly decreased. [oxy-Hb] in the orbitofrontal cortex in frontal lobe area increased while remembrance of traumatic memory, and it decreased with desensitization of the memory. The results suggest that desensitization of traumatic memory by EMDR had affected the cerebral blood flow.

Conference

English

Minako Ohtsuka
Tetsufumi Kanazawa
Hiroshi Yonezawa
Eiichiro Ueda
Masaya Ichii

Ohtsuka, M., Kanazawa, T., Yonezawa, H., Ueda, E., & Ichii, M. (2014, January). Brain blood for responses during EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing)－A study using NIRS. Poster presented at the 2nd EMDR Asia International Conference, Manila, The Philippines