Anterior cingulate cortex activity as a candidate biomarker for treatment selection in social anxiety disorder. Issue 3 (11th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Frick, Andreas; Engman, Jonas; Wahlstedt, Kurt; Gingnell, Malin; Fredrikson, Mats; Furmark, Tomas
• Is Part Of: BJPsych open. Volume 4:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 157
• Page End: 159
• Publication Date: 2018-05-11
• Subjects: Functional magnetic resonance imaging, -- anxiety, -- prediction, -- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, -- cognitive–behavioural therapy, -- social phobia; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental health -- Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2018.15
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2056-4724

Abstract

Summary: We aimed to identify biomarkers to guide the decision to add selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) to psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). Forty-eight patients with SAD underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging and collection of clinical and demographic variables before treatment with cognitive–behavioural therapy, combined on a double-blind basis with either escitalopram or placebo for 9 weeks. Pre-treatment neural reactivity to aversive faces in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), but not clinical/demographic variables, moderated clinical outcomes. Cross-validated individual-level predictions accurately identified 81% of responders/non-responders. Dorsal ACC reactivity is thus a potential biomarker for SAD treatment selection. Declaration of interest: None.