Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Mindfulness Meditation in Brain Changes During Reappraisal and Acceptance Among Patients With Social Anxiety Disorder

A JAMA Psychiatry randomized fMRI trial in adults with social anxiety disorder conducted at University of California Davis, Stanford University, and Temple University found that both cognitive behavioral group therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction produce durable symptom improvements and strengthen prefrontal cingulate networks involved in reappraisal and acceptance. Subtle differences in how each treatment engages these circuits may underlie their distinct therapeutic mechanisms.