Summary

Before the era of advanced medicines, psychotherapy has long been recognized as an effective treatment for a range of psychological disorders, however, neuroscience has only just begun to comprehend how “talk therapies” cause measurable changes in the brain. Numerous recent studies from neurobiological and neuroimaging studies, psychotherapy promotes neuroplasticity by changing brain circuits related to memory, emotion regulation, and self-awareness. The brain regions named prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala are impacted by Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), psychodynamic therapy, and mindfulness-based therapies. These insights show that psychotherapy is more than just a cognitive or behavioural exercise; it is a physically active process that can change brain connections. The neurological underpinnings of psychotherapy in comparison to pharmaceutical methods have been explored in this review, along with their implications for precision mental health care.

Keywords:Psychotherapy; Psychological disorders; Brain connections; Cognitive disorders; Mental health

Abbreviations: AI: Artificial Intelligence; CBT: Cognitive-behavioural Therapy; DMN: Default Mode Network; EEG: Electroencephalography; EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing; fMRI: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; MBCT: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy; mPFC: Temporal Lobes, Medial Prefrontal Cortex; PCC: Posterior Cingulate Cortex; PFC: Prefrontal Cortex; PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder