Differences between effects of psychological versus pharmacological treatments on functional and morphological brain alterations in anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder: A systematic review

► Comparing functional/morphological brain measures after psycho and pharmacotherapy. ► Psychotherapy has a top-down effect on prefrontal functions. ► Pharmacotherapy has a bottom-up effect on the emotional limbic functions/morphology. ► Common important functional prefrontal areas impairment was found for each disorder. ► Reduced prefrontal function following anxiety disorder facilitates MDD development.