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Grief Reactions: A Neurobiological Approach

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Clinical Handbook of Bereavement and Grief Reactions

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Psychiatry ((CCPSY))

Abstract

This chapter reviews the current state of neuroscience research suggesting that there may be neurobiological correlates of grief. This evidence comes from studies involving functional and structural neuroimaging techniques in bereaved individuals with a typical grief pattern as well as in those whose grief is more severe and prolonged. Understanding the neurological mechanisms contributing to various outcomes in grief may allow us to not only better understand and treat bereaved populations, but also to predict and prevent conditions such as complicated grief.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    These variables included that the length of time after the death event varied (Freed: 3 months, Arizmendi: 3 years, Mancini: 3 years, Maccallum: 3.5 years). Participants’ mean age was different (Freed: 38, Arizmendi: 72, Mancini: 45, Maccallum: 50 years). The type of loss differed (Freed: pet loss, Arizmendi: spousal loss, Mancini: spousal loss, Maccallum: first-degree family member). The target words of task differed as well (Freed: idiographic grief words, Arizmendi: idiographic grief words, Mancini: name of the deceased, Maccallum: categorical grief words).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, 1503 E. University Boulevard, Room 430, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA

    Mary-Frances O’Connor Ph.D. & Mairead H. McConnell Ph.D.

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  1. Mary-Frances O’Connor Ph.D.
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  2. Mairead H. McConnell Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Mary-Frances O’Connor Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Massachussetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Eric Bui

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O’Connor, MF., McConnell, M.H. (2018). Grief Reactions: A Neurobiological Approach. In: Bui, E. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Bereavement and Grief Reactions . Current Clinical Psychiatry. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65241-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65241-2_3

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-65240-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65241-2

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