Considerations for Pairing Cognitive Behavioral Therapies and Non-invasive Brain Stimulation: Ignore at Your Own Risk

• Main Authors: Christine A. Conelea, Suma Jacob, A. David Redish, Ian S. Ramsay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-04-01
• Series: Frontiers in Psychiatry
• Subjects: neuromodulation; cognitive behavioral therapy; intervention; brain stimulation; neuroscience
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.660180/full

Multimodal approaches combining cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) with non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) hold promise for improving the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. As this is a relatively new approach, it is a critical time to identify guiding principles and methodological considerations to enhance research rigor. In the current paper, we argue for a principled approach to CBT and NIBS pairings based on synergistic activation of neural circuits and identify key considerations about CBT that may influence pairing with NIBS. Careful consideration of brain-state interactions and CBT-related nuances will increase the potential for these combinations to be positively synergistic.