Oct, 1, 2023

Vol.30 No.2, pp. 84-88


Review

  • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
  • Volume 9(2); 2002
  • Article

Review

Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry 2002;9(2):79-94. Published online: Feb, 1, 2002

Neurobiological Mechanism of Psychotherapy

  • Seung-Hwan Lee, MD, PhD1;Seung-Hyun Kim, MD, PhD2;
    1;Department of Neuropsychiatry, Ilsanpaik hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Koyang, 2;Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
Abstract

Polarisation of biological and psychosocial aspects of psychiatry is nowadays main stream. Current knowledges of the interaction between biology and psychology make it possible to consider a truly integrative approach of the two aspects. Research findings suggest that the neuronal plasticity is the key mechanism to answer how the mental function work to an environmental stimuli and how the psychotherapeutic approach work on the brain. Advances in neuroscience research have led to a more sophisticated understanding of how psychotherapy may affect brain function. Even though there have been a tremendous efforts to find out the neurobiological mechanism of mental function, the answer is at best premature. In this article, research findings about of neuronal plasticity, implicit memory, animal studies which were associated with psychotherapy and psychological aspects were reviewed.

Keywords Psychotherapy;Neurobiology;Neural plasticity;Implicit memory.