Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Real-time fMRI Biofeedback Targeting the Orbitofrontal Cortex for Contamination Anxiety
Published on: January 20, 2012
Neuroanatomical aspects of cognitive-behavioural therapy response in obsessive-compulsive disorder. An evolving
1UCLA Department of Psychiatry 90024-1759, USA.
Background:
Recent research has demonstrated that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can systematically modify cerebral metabolic activity in a manner which is significantly related to clinical outcome.
Method:
A substantial body of research is reviewed which supports an involvement of neural circuitry connecting the orbitofrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus and basal ganglia in the expression of the symptoms of OCD.
Results:
Data are presented which expand upon previous work demonstrating effects of CBT on functional interactions between limbic cortex and the basal ganglia.
Conclusions:
The relevance of these effects of CBT on brain function is discussed in the context of recent advances in our knowledge of cortical-basal ganglia physiology. The clinical importance of these data is best appreciated when they are seen to reflect the interactive nature of the relationships between cognitive choice, behavioural output and brain activity.
Related Concept Videos
Cognitivism
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
Introduction to Biological Bases of Psychology
The nervous system, the cornerstone of...
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Behavior Therapy
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Cognitive Therapy

