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Anxiety, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Depression, Mental Health Services

CBT and the Neural Circuits of Anxiety

Calling for participants until

31 Mar 2030

Participant type

Adults age: 18-75

Looking for

Service Users

Study Type

In person, Online, Survey and tests

Overview

What is the study about?

Our brain gets information from what we see, hear, and feel. It then decides how to react. Sometimes, when people have anxiety or depression, their brain might process emotions differently. The study will look at how people’s brains work before and after they have CBT.

What is the study trying to find out?

The study is trying to find out if CBT helps people who have anxiety and depression to feel less worried or less sad.  It will use questions and tests to see how their brain works before and after they have CBT.  One test uses a big machine called an MRI scanner. This machine takes pictures of the brain while it is working. This will show if CBT changes the way the brain handles emotions. 

What does taking part involve?

Visit One, about 1.5 hours

In this first visit, you can talk to a researcher about taking part in the study.  You will also need to fill in some questionnaires. These are papers with questions about your feelings and experiences now and in the past.

Visit Two:  First testing session, about 2.5 hours

In this visit, you will do some tasks on a computer. These tasks help us understand your behaviour. Then, you will do similar tasks while having a brain scan called MRI.

Visit Three: Second testing session About 2.5 hours

After either waiting or doing CBT therapy, you will come back for the last visit. This visit will be the same as the second visit, with computer tasks and a brain scan.

Who is it for?
  • Age:18-75 years old
  • Waiting: high intensity CBT treatment
  • Safe for MRI scan
  • Are not currently on psychotropic medication

We hope to recruit a total of 174 participants over a period of 4 years.

Why is it important?

What if CBT can change the brain? Then, it might help doctors find new ways to treat anxiety and depression. This means more people could feel better faster.

How can I find out more?

You can find out more information about taking part in this study by downloading the key documents at the top of this page.  You can also find out more information on the project website here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-sciences/icn/research/research-groups/neuroscience-and-mental-health/cbt-and-neural-circuits-anxiety

If you are interested in taking part in this study, or have questions for the research team, please email us using this link: r&d@nelft.nhs.uk

Summary

This study wants to find out if a special kind of treatment can change how our brain deals with feelings and thoughts. This treatment is called: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT may help people with problems like anxiety (feeling very worried) and depression (feeling very sad).

Collaborators

Funded by

Sponsored by: UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience