ABSTRACT
Advances in neuroscience have made it technologically possible to measure correlates of thought through brain imaging. A group of psychoanalysts have founded a movement that aims to find support in neuroscience for Freud's theory. This chapter critically reviews that literature, pointing out the problems and biases that afflict this line of research. The main problem is the huge gap between the constructs of psychoanalysis and what can be observed in brain scans. This makes a successful reductionistic program to explain all mental constructs through neural connections unlikely. The chapter will also present a critical view of recent claims that recent research on neuroplasticity validates the use of psychotherapy.
