Brain Imaging Predicts Anxiety App Benefit
App-Based Anxiety Treatment Shows Promise, Brain Scans Reveal Predictors of Success
New research from Weill Cornell Medicine suggests that specific brain activity patterns can predict which young adults with anxiety are most likely to benefit from app-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The findings could pave the way for more personalized mental health interventions.
Deeper dive into app-Based Anxiety Treatment
A recent study investigating the effectiveness of the Maya app,an app designed to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques for anxiety,has revealed promising results. the research, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, found that many young adults continued to use the app even after the initial 6-week trial period, and some experienced lasting improvements in their anxiety symptoms even after discontinuing use.
A Deeper Look into the Results
The investigators were able to use data from 30 participants who had MRIs before using the Maya app to determine if specific patterns of brain activity indicated individuals who were more likely to experience symptom improvements.
The results suggest that young adults experiencing anxiety whose brains were less efficient at regulating their responses to anxiety-provoking information benefited more from learning cognitive behavioral therapy techniques through the app. In contrast, those with stronger connections in circuits involved with greater attention to possibly threatening or anxiety provoking information were less likely to benefit from using the app.
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“our study will help us better tailor treatments to patients in the future,” said Dr. Gunning, who is also a psychologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Anxiety symptoms can be very disabling to young adults at an crucial life stage,so matching them with an effective therapy as soon as possible is critically important.”
Many Weill Cornell Medicine physicians and scientists maintain relationships and collaborate with external organizations to foster scientific innovation and provide expert guidance. The institution makes these disclosures public to ensure clarity. For this information, see profiles for Dr. Faith Gunning and Dr. Abhishek Jaywant.
This study was supported in part by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the National Institute of Mental Health, both part of the National Institutes of Health, through grant numbers UL1TR002384, K23MH116105 and K23MH129849. Additional support was provided by the NewYork-Presbyterian Center for Youth Mental Health,the khoury Foundation,the Paul and Jenna Segal Family Foundation,the Saks fifth Avenue Foundation,Mary and Jonathan Rather,the Weill Cornell Medicine Children’s Health Investigator’s Fund,and the Pritzker Neuropsychiatric Disorders Research Consortium.