The physiological effects of CBT?

A recent query on the ACT listserv regarding studies showing that CBT produces physiological changes produced some interesting citations:

CBT for OCD produces the same changes in activity in the caudate nucleus as SSRIs do. [Schwartz, Stoessel, Baxter, Martin & Phelps, 1996, Systematic changes in cerebral glucose metabolic rate after successful behavior modification treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53, 109-113. Baxter, Schwartz, Bergman, et al, 1992, Caudate Glucose Metabolic Rate Changes With Both Drug And Behavior Therapy for Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder, Archives of General Psychiatry, 49, 681-689. (A more digestable version is available in Discover Magazine, June, 1996 - page 36. That one page article is entitled "The Chemistry of Obsession: Therapy for OCD Can Change Not Only Behavior But The Chemistry of The Brain Itself".)]

CT for depression produces changes in sleep EEG. [Thase ME, Fasiczka AL, Berman SR, et al: Electroencephalographic sleep profiles before and after cognitive behavior therapy of depression. Arch Gen Pychiatry 55:138-144, 1998]

CT is associated with a reduction in thyroid stimulating hormone in major depression. [Joffe R, Segal Z, & Singer W: Change in thyroid hormone levels following response to cognitive therapy for major depression. Am J Psychiatry 153:411-413, 1996]

Treatment with CBT is significantly related to a reduction in postdexamethasone plasma cortisol levels and were the same as an antidepressant medication (amitriptyline). [McKnight DL, Nelson-Gray RO, & Barnhill J: Dexamethosone suppression test and response to cognitive therapy and antidepressant medication. Behav Ther 23:99-111, 1992]

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More on the physiological effects of CBT?, by Jim Pretzer, 01/23/04

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