The neurobiological effects of EMDR (Eyes movement desensitisation and reprocessing) therapy

The aim of this study is to examine the neurobiological and structural correlates of EMDR therapy in the brain in light of the current neuroimaging literature.

Article Abstract

Introduction: Eye Movement Desensitisationand Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy method with high clinical efficacy in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Based on Shapiro’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, this method aims to reorganise traumatic memory networks through bilateral stimulation. The aim of this study is to examine the neurobiological and structural correlates of EMDR therapy in the brain in light of the current neuroimaging literature.

Method: This study is a qualitative review article. The theoretical and empirical literature on the subject was comprehensively searched via the Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. Controlled clinical studies and neuroimaging (fMRI, MRI,SPECT, EEG, NIRS) research published in recent years were included in the review using the keywords ‘EMDR’, ‘neurobiology’, ‘PTSD’, ‘fMRI’, “amygdala” and ‘bilateral stimulation’.

Findings: The literature indicates that experienced trauma leads to a reduction in the volume of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), weakens the mPFC-amygdala connection, and reduces mPFC activity. Chronic stress, meanwhile, triggers hippocampal atrophy. When examining the neuroimaging results of EMDR therapy: EEG studies revealed that following successful treatment, activation in the orbitofrontal cortex and primary visual cortex decreased, whilst activation in the fusiform and lingual cortices increased.fMRI and NIRS studies detected a decrease in activity/haemoglobin concentration in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during bilateral stimulation. SPECT findings revealed a reduction in cerebral blood flow in the uncus and inferior hippocampal regions following treatment. Functional MRI (fMRI) data, meanwhile, showed a significant increase in hippocampal volume following EMDR, as well as an increase in grey matter density in the posterior cingulate, anterior insula, and parahippocampal gyrus in those responding to treatment.

Discussion and Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that EMDR not only provides symptomatic improvement but also initiates lasting neuroplastic and structural changes by reversing dysfunctional states in the brain. For future studies, it is recommended to increase the use of functional connectivity analyses, utilise advanced data processing tools such as RStudio, and conduct a more in-depth investigation of the neural effects of bilateral stimulation using three-dimensional qEEG brain mapping systems such as Neural Navigator.”

Article Access

Open Access

İlker, Y. (2026). The neurobiological effects of EMDR (Eyes movement desensitisation and reprocessing) therapy. International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH, 14(5), 174-179. https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v14.i5.2026.6940