Potential of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

Figures & data

Table 1 Brain structures and their proposed function in PTSD symptomatology

Brain structure	Proposed function
BLA and ITC (GABAergic neurons lying between the BLA and CeA)	Suggested to be responsible for both initiating and inhibiting fear responses.^Citation32 The BLA plays a role in sensory integration by sending information to both the CeA and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. These structures are thought to communicate with the hypothalamic and brainstem areas which are involved in fear and stress responses.^Citation33
Anterior cingulate gyrus	May play a role in filtering and aiding integration of emotional and cognitive components, possibly aiding modulation of fight/flight reactions to perceived threat.^Citation10
CeA	The main output center for responses to fearful stimuli.^Citation23,Citation34 The CeA mediates the initiation of fear responses; when this area is removed in animals, the fear response is nonexistent.^Citation32
Corpus callosum	An area of interest due to its involvement in the transfer of information across both hemispheres, integrating emotions and cognitive responses.^Citation10,Citation35
Frontal lobes	Act as a supervisory system for integration of information.^Citation36
HPA	A hormonal flow traveling from the hypothalamus to the adrenal glands, via the pituitary gland. The hippocampus is thought to have inhibitory effects on the HPA axis, while the amygdala is thought to regulate the HPA via excitatory signals.^Citation32
Parahippocampal gyrus region	May have heightened influence from the amygdala during an emotionally arousing learning situation.^Citation14

Abbreviations: BLA, anterior basolateral nuclei; CeA, central nucleus of the amygdala; HPA, hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis; ITC, intercalated cells; PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.

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