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Themenschwerpunkt

Psychoanalyse im Spannungsfeld neurowissenschaftlicher Forschung

Published Online:May 11, 2015https://doi.org/10.1024/1661-4747/a000227

Abstract

In diesem Beitrag wird das Spannungsfeld der Psychoanalyse mit anderen Disziplinen zunächst historisch beleuchtet und kritisch diskutiert. Recht zahlreich sind experimentelle Studien, die ein neues Licht auf psychoanalytische basale Konstrukte werfen, von denen wir in diesem Beitrag einige zusammenfassen. Deutlich seltener, wenn auch wachsend, sind Untersuchungen zu neuronalen Veränderungen im Verlauf einer psychodynamischen und psychoanalytischen Behandlung. Wir berichten über eine abgeschlossene und weitere laufende Studien am Beispiel der Depression. Die Prozessforschung sowie systematische Einzelfallstudien sind derzeit noch marginal vertreten. Wir schlagen erste vielversprechende Hinweise für die Erforschung des Zusammenhangs von Stundenqualität und neuronaler Aktivierung bei einer Patientin mit spezifischer Abwehrformation während einer definierten Behandlungsphase vor. Forschungsdefizit liegt bisher in der Erforschung der neuronalen Untersuchung von etablierten psychoanalytischen Techniken. Die Zukunft der sogenannten Neuropsychotherapie birgt Verantwortung und weitere Forschungsinitiativen.


Psychoanalysis at the interface of neuroscience research

In this paper the tension and controversies between psychoanalysis and other disciplines are reported and discussed form a historical perspective. A growing number of experimental studies have shed light on basic constructs in psychoanalytic theory. Some of them were selected and reported in that overview. There are an increasing number of examinations on neural changes during psychodynamic and psychoanalytic treatments. We report on a completed study and several ongoing studies on chronic depression. Process research and systematic single case studies in the neuroimaging domain are missing so far. We suggest a potentially fruitful approach associating quality of psychoanalytic session, neural activity and specific patterns of a patient’s defense mode during a defined treatment phase. There is a considerable research gap in examining established psychoanalytic techniques on a neural level. The future of so called neuropsychotherapy requests responsibility and more intensive research activities.

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