Kaye, J. M.; Schindler, B. A. (1990). Hypnosis on a consultation-liaison service. General Hospital Psychiatry, 12, 379-383.
Studied the use of hypnosis on a consultation-liaison service with a broad spectrum of medically hospitalized patients. Autohypnosis tapes were used for reinforcement. Twenty-nine women and eight men from 24-75 years of age were hypnotized for relief of depression, pain, anxiety, or side effects of chemotherapy. Results were excellent (total to almost total relief of symptoms) in 68%, fair in 22%, and poor in 11%, with no differences among the results with the various conditions. This demonstrates that hypnotherapy is an extremely useful tool in medical management of patients in consultation-liaison psychiatry.
1986
Hendler, Cobie S.; Redd, William H. (1986). Fear of hypnosis: The role of labeling in patients’ acceptance of behavioral interventions. Behavior Therapy, 17, 2-13.
One hundred and five outpatient cancer chemotherapy patients were interviewed to assess their attitudes toward hypnosis and relaxation as well as to determine their beliefs in and willingness to try a behavioral procedure. Patients were randomly assigned to groups receiving identical descriptions labeled “hypnosis,” “relaxation,” or “passive relaxation with guided imagery.” The description stressed the behavioral components of hypnosis and relaxation rather than the nonbehavioral techniques often associated with hypnosis such as age regression and posthypnotic suggestion. Patients believed hypnosis to be a powerful process that involved loss of control and altered states of consciousness. When compared with a group of college students, patients held significantly more fearful, conservative views about hypnosis. Patients who received a description of an intervention labeled “hypnosis” were significantly less likely to believe the procedure would effectively control their nausea and vomiting and were significantly less likely to state they would try the procedure than patients in the other two label conditions. This reaction to the label occurred independently of patients’ degree of nausea, vomiting, and pain due to their chemotherapy treatments.
1984
Margolis, Clorinda G. (1984). Hypnosis and cancer: An overview of the field. [Unpublished manuscript]
This paper apparently was presented either at American Psychological Association or the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. The author has two tables summarizing types of cancer associated with pain, and pain syndromes in patients with cancer
Table 3 is a list of Erickson’s procedures for Controlling Pain: –Direct hypnotic suggestion for total abolition of pain –Permissive indirect hypnotic abolition of pain –Amnesia –Hypnotic analgesia –Hypnotic anesthesia –Hypnotic replacement or substitution of sensations –Hypnotic displacement of pain –Hypnotic dissociation
Time and body disorientation –Hypnotic reinterpretation of pain experience –Hypnotic time distortion –Hypnotic suggestions effecting a diminution of pain
(from Rossi, Ed., _Innovative Hypnotherapy_, Vol. IV of the Collected Papers of Milton H. Erickson on Hypnosis, 1980
Table 4 is a list of Sacerdote’s Procedures for Controlling Pain: –Teleological approach –Reinterpretation of signals –Associating and conditioning –Dissociation –Simile of electric wiring –Development of amnesia –Positive and negative hallucinations –Induction of dreams –Time and space distortion, and elicitation of mystical states –Relaxation techniques –Glove anesthesia and analgesia –Pain management through control of autonomic functions
(from Barber & Adrian, Eds., _Psychological Approaches to the Management of Pain_, 1982)
The author describes cases treated by Erickson (one in which he used 12 hours of training, in one session, reported in Rossi’s 1980 edited writings of Milton Erickson, Vol. IV) and by Sacerdote.
Author notes that the Hilgards, in _Hypnosis in the Relief of Pain_ (1975), describe the use of hypnosis in treating patients with cancer pain. In all three–Butler (1954), Lea, Ware, and Monroe (1960), and a larger study by Cangello (1961), both success and failure are reported. As the Hilgards point out, about 50% of the patients studied were able to reduce their pain–a percentage the Hilgards remark is rather close to what successful clinicians tend to report.
Morrow, Gary R. (1984). Appropriateness of taped versus live relaxation in the systematic desensitization of anticipatory nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52 (6), 1098-1099.
Investigated the suggestion that the relaxation part of systematic desensitization–an effective treatment for the nausea and vomiting experienced by approximately 25% of cancer patients in anticipation of chemotherapeutic treatments– could be learned from a prerecorded audiotape prior to meeting a psychologist for treatment. 10 cancer patients who had developed anticipatory nausea or vomiting were assigned to either a live-relaxation or a tape-relaxation group. Results show that 4 of 5 Ss assigned to the tape-relaxation group experienced nausea while listening to the prerecorded audiotape, while none of the patients in the live-relaxation group reported nausea when subsequently listening to an audiotape made during the live presentation of relaxation.
Hoffman, Mark L. (1982/83). Hypnotic desensitization for the management of anticipatory emesis in chemotherapy. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 25 (2-3), 173-176.
A hypnotic treatment employing systematic desensitization was used to alleviate anticipatory nausea and vomiting in a middle-aged man undergoing chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s Disease. After four treatment sessions, all nausea associated with chemotherapy was eliminated. Results of this treatment are compared with those of another hypnotic treatment recently reported by Redd et al (1982), and reasons for differences are discussed. [Redd, W. H., Andersen, G. V. & Minagawa, R. Y. (1982). Hypnotic control of anticipatory emesis in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 14-19.]
LeBaron, Samuel; Zeltzer, Lonnie (1982, October). The effectiveness of behavioral intervention for reducing chemotherapy related nausea and vomiting in children with cancer. [Paper] Presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Indianapolis, IN.
-sented at the annual meeting of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Indianapolis, IN.
Eight children (nine to seventeen years, Mean age 12.1) with cancer received behavioral intervention for chemotherapy related nausea and vomiting. Within three to five days after the administration of each course of chemotherapy, patients rated (1-10 scale; 1 = none, 10 = all the time or maximal amount) their nausea and vomiting and the extent to which chemotherapy bothered them and disrupted their daily routine. After a pre-intervention assessment of 2.5 courses of chemotherapy, patients received intervention (Mean = 2.6 courses). Significant reductions following intervention (Wilcoxon matched- pairs signed ranks test) were found in nausea (Z = 2.37, p<.02), vomiting (Z = 2.52, p<.01), bother (Z = 2.24, p<.02), and disruption of activities (Z = 2.38, p<.02). This preliminary study indicates that chemotherapy side effects can be reduced through behavioral intervention. Lyles, Jeanne Naramore; Burish, Thomas G.; Krozely, Mary G.; Oldham, Robert K. (1982). Efficacy of relaxation training and guided imagery in reducing the aversiveness of cancer chemotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 509-524. Fifty cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, 25 by push injection and 25 by drip infusion, were assigned to one of three conditions for their chemotherapy treatments: (a) progressive muscle-relaxation training plus guided-relaxation imagery; (b) therapist control, in which a therapist was present to provide support and encouragement but did not provide systematic relaxation training; and (c) no-treatment control. Patients participated in one pretraining, three training, and one follow-up session. Results indicated that during the training sessions, patients who received relaxation training, relative to patients in either of the other two conditions, (a) reported feeling significantly less anxious and nauseated during chemotherapy, (b) showed significantly less physiological arousal (as measured by pulse rate and systolic blood pressure) and reported less anxiety and depression immediately after chemotherapy, and (c) reported significantly less severe and less protracted nausea at home following chemotherapy. The attending nurses' observations during chemotherapy confirmed patient reports. In general, patients in the therapist control condition and the no-treatment control condition did not differ significantly from each other. The differences among conditions generally remained significant during the follow-up session. The data suggest that relaxation training may be an effective procedure for helping cancer patients cope with the adverse effects of their chemotherapy. Fuchs, K.; Paldi, E.; Abramovici, H.; Peretz, B. A. (1980). Treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum by hypnosis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 28 (4), 313-323 Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints in the first trimester of pregnancy. Hyperemesis gravidarum presents a unique challenge to the obstetrician trained in medical hypnosis. Between the years 1965-1977, 138 women suffering from extremely severe vomiting in the first trimester of pregnancy were successfully treated by medical hypnosis. 87 patients were treated in groups and 51 received individual therapy. The results with patients in group hypnotherapy were markedly better than those with patients in individual hypnotherapy. With group hypnotherapy, hospitalization was not necessary; treatement [sic] was given to a number of patients simultaneously and the women felt safer and less lonely. The common motivation of the patients consolidated the psychotherapeutic effect. This made treatment easier and more efficient. 1979 Clarke, Christopher (1979). Hypnotherapy in the treatment of alcoholism. Australian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 7 (1), 1-5. If an aversive technique is used as a part of a hypnotic or behavior therapy treatment programme for problem drinking, the therapist is faced with the question of which aversive stimulus (or image) to use. This question has been given little in the way of systematic attention because of the widespread belief that there are no grounds for choosing between aversive stimuli which are equally safe, convenient and, of course, noxious. However, recent research in behavioural biology as well as certain clinical results call this assumption into question. Instead this work supports the contrary view: that the quality of the aversive stimulus is a crucial determinant of the effectiveness of aversion therapy. Specifically, this research strongly suggests that an illness or "malaise" experience must occur in conjunction with the alcohol for the conditioning (of an aversion) to be successful. Specific suggestions for the conduct of hypnotic aversion therapy are made in light of this work. 1976 Cedercrentz, C.; Lahteenmaki, R.; Tulikoura, J. (1976). Hypnotic treatment of headache and vertigo in skull injured patients. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 24, 195-201. Symptoms of headache and vertigo were treated using direct hypnotic suggestions of symptom relief in 155 consecutive skull injured patients. Posttraumatic headache and vertigo were completely relieved after an average observation period of 1 year 10 months in 50% and 58% of the patients, and partially relieved in 20% and 16% respectively. Most of the relief was achieved after about 4 weekly sessions and, particularly with the headaches, only if treatment began within a few weeks of the injury. Therapeutic outcome was correlated with depth of hypnosis achieved for both headache (r = .44, p < .0001) and vertigo (r = .47, p < .0001) symptoms. Patients who could not even achieve light hypnosis obtained no therapeutic improvement, but patients who experienced only light hypnosis were as clinically responsive as those achieving deep hypnosis. 1953 Kroger, William S. (1953). Hypnotherapy in obstetrics and gynecology. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 1 (2), 61-70. Author's Summary - "A high percentage of gynecologic complains [sic] are due to psychic factors. Therapeutic efforts, therefore, must be directed primarily toward the psychologic component. Until recently, the principal weapon of the dynamically oriented physician was orthodox psychoanalysis. However, the increased interest for a relatively rapid approach has demonstrated the diagnostic and therapeutic value of hypnoanalysis. This development has been concomitant with the psychoanalysist's [sic] interest in 'brief psychotherapy' and narcosynthesis. "In many functional gynecologic disorders, hypnoanalysis has supplanted the parent therapy even though this form of treatment utilizes the concepts of dynamic psychiatry. "The relevant literature on the use of hypnotherapy in functional obstetrical and gynecological disorders has been reviewed. "Significant areas for research have been pointed out. "This review emphasizes that hypnosis _per se_ is only of value in obtaining symptomatic relief. On the other hand, hypnoanalysis elicits the responsible dynamics behind the symptom, and is effective in reaching all aspects of the personality. "Hypnoanalysis will be more applicable in obstetrics and gynecology when there is a wider acceptance of its techniques" (p. 68). Neuroimaging 2003 Holroyd, Jean (2003). The science of meditation and the state of hypnosis. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 46 (2), 109-128. Two aspects of Buddhist meditation -- concentration and mindfulness -- are discussed in relationship to hypnosis. Mindfulness training facilitates the investigation of subjective responses to hypnosis. Concentration practice leads to altered states similar to those in hypnosis, both phenomenologically and neurologically. The similarities and differences between hypnosis and meditation are used to shed light on perennial questions: (1) Does hypnosis involve an altered state of consciousness? (2) Does a hypnotic induction increase suggestibility? It is concluded that a model for hypnosis should include altered states as well as capacity for imaginative involvement and expectations. 2002 Raz, A.; Shapiro, T. (2002). Hypnosis and neuroscience: A cross talk between clinical and cognitive research. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59 (1), 85-90. Despite its long use in clinical settings, the checkered reputation of hypnosis has dimmed its promise as a research instrument. Whereas cognitive neuroscience has scantily fostered hypnosis as a manipulation, neuroimaging techniques offer new opportunities to use hypnosis and posthypnotic suggestion as probes into brain mechanisms and, reciprocally, provide a means of studying hypnosis itself. We outline how the hypnotic state can serve as a way to tap neurocognitive questions and how cognitive assays can in turn shed new light on the neural bases of hypnosis. This cross talk should enhance research and clinical applications. 2000 Kosslyn, S. M.; Thompson, W. L.; Constantini-Ferrando, M. F.; Alpert, N. M.; Spiegel, D (2000). Hypnotic visual illusion alters color processing in the brain. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157 (8), 1279-1284. This study was designed to determine whether hypnosis can modulate color perception. Such evidence would provide insight into the nature of hypnosis and its underlying mechanisms. Eight highly hypnotizable Ss (aged 20-35 yrs) were asked to see a color pattern in color, a similar gray-scale pattern in color, the color pattern as gray scale, and the gray-scale pattern as gray scale during positron emission tomography scanning by means of [-sup-1-sup-5O]C0-sub-2. The classic color area in the fusiform or lingual region of the brain was first identified by analyzing the results when Ss were asked to perceive color as color vs when they were asked to perceive gray scale as gray scale. The results show that when Ss were hypnotized, color areas of the left and right hemispheres were activated when they were asked to perceive color, whether they were actually shown the color or the gray-scale stimulus. These brain regions had decreased activation when Ss were told to see gray scale, whether they were actually shown the color or gray-scale stimuli. These results were obtained only during hypnosis in the left hemisphere, whereas blood flow changes reflected instructions to perceive color vs gray scale in the right hemisphere, whether or not Ss had been hypnotized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2002 APA, all rights reserved) 1993 Crawford, Helen J.; Gur, Ruben C.; Skolnick, Brett; Gur, Raquel E.; Benson, Deborah M. (1993). Effects of hypnosis on regional cerebral blood flow during ischemic pain with and without suggested hypnotic analgesia. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 15, 181-195. Using 133Xe regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) imaging, two male groups having high and low hypnotic susceptibility were compared in waking and after hypnotic induction, while at rest and while experiencing ischemic pain to both arms under two conditions: attend to pain and suggested analgesia. Differences between low and highly-hypnotizable persons were observed during all hypnosis conditions: only highly-hypnotizable persons showed a significant increase in overall CBF, suggesting that hypnosis requires cognitive effort. As anticipated, ischemic pain produced CBF increases in the somatosensory region. Of major theoretical interest is a highly-significant bilateral CBF activation of the orbito-frontal cortex in the highly-hypnotizable group only during hypnotic analgesia. During hypnotic analgesia, highly-hypnotizable persons showed CBF increase over the somatosensory cortex, while low-hypnotizable persons showed decreases. Research is supportive of a neuropsychophysiological model of hypnosis (Crawford, 1991; Crawford and Gruzelier, 1992) and suggests that hypnotic analgesia involves the supervisory, attentional control system of the far-frontal cortex in a topographically specific inhibitory feedback circuit that cooperates in the regulation of thalamocortical activities 1987 Ulrich, P.; Meyer, H. J.; Diehl, B.; Meinig, G. (1987). Cerebral blood flow in autogenic training and hypnosis. Neurosurgery Review, 10, 305-307. (Abstracted in American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 1989) In 12 healthy volunteers with at least an experience of 6 months in autogenic training (AT), the cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured at rest, in AT, and in hypnosis (H). The results were correlated with individual test profiles. The cortical flow pattern at rest of our AT-trained volunteers did not show the hyperfrontality which is described in the literature. This may be interpreted as an effect of better and habitualized relaxation in long-trained AT practitioners. This flow pattern corresponds to the low grades of neuroticism and aggressivity found in the tests. Furthermore, an activation in central cortical areas and a deactivation in regions which are associated with acoustic and autonomous functions occur. Possible explanations for these phenomena as well as for the relatively low perfusion of the left hemisphere at rest and activation in AT are discussed. The global rise of CBF in Hypnosis may be an activation effect caused by resistance against the hypnotizer: the deeper the trance, the smaller the catalepsy of the right arm and in temporal cortical fields processing acoustic inputs. 1981 Claghorn, James L.; Mathew, Roy J.; Largen, John W.; Meyer, John S. (1981). Directional effects of skin temperature self-regulation on regional cerebral blood flow in normal subjects and migraine patients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 1182-1187. Vascular headache of the migraine type is associated with vasomotor changes in cerebral arteries. The authors studied whether skin temperature training (biofeedback) reduced the frequency, severity, and duration of these headaches by measuring the regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in 11 female migraine patients (27-52 years) and 9 female volunteers (22-37 years), using the noninvasive 133 Xe inhalation technique. Half of each group was randomly assigned to a hand-warming or a hand- cooling group. CBF increased in several regions of the left hemisphere to a significant degree only for the significant degree only for the migraineurs who were in the hand-warming group. The pattern of vasomotor regulation apparently differed between migraine and normal Ss. The migraineurs'' headache symptoms were affected by both warming and cooling, but warming produced more salutary effects. Neurophysiology 2003 Holroyd, Jean (2003). The science of meditation and the state of hypnosis. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 46 (2), 109-128. Two aspects of Buddhist meditation -- concentration and mindfulness -- are discussed in relationship to hypnosis. Mindfulness training facilitates the investigation of subjective responses to hypnosis. Concentration practice leads to altered states similar to those in hypnosis, both phenomenologically and neurologically. The similarities and differences between hypnosis and meditation are used to shed light on perennial questions: (1) Does hypnosis involve an altered state of consciousness? (2) Does a hypnotic induction increase suggestibility? It is concluded that a model for hypnosis should include altered states as well as capacity for imaginative involvement and expectations. 2002 Raz, A.; Shapiro, T. (2002). Hypnosis and neuroscience: A cross talk between clinical and cognitive research. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59 (1), 85-90. Despite its long use in clinical settings, the checkered reputation of hypnosis has dimmed its promise as a research instrument. Whereas cognitive neuroscience has scantily fostered hypnosis as a manipulation, neuroimaging techniques offer new opportunities to use hypnosis and posthypnotic suggestion as probes into brain mechanisms and, reciprocally, provide a means of studying hypnosis itself. We outline how the hypnotic state can serve as a way to tap neurocognitive questions and how cognitive assays can in turn shed new light on the neural bases of hypnosis. This cross talk should enhance research and clinical applications. 2000 Barabasz, Arreed (2000, August). EEG markers of hypnosis: The induction makes a difference. [Paper] Presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D. C.. Rather than attempt to uncover some simplistic unidimensional EEG "signature" of the hypnotic state, this study obtained EEG Event Related Potentials (ERPs) in response to two conditions: suggestion only and an alert hypnotic induction plus the identical suggestion. The suggestion asked the ten participants to hallucinate having earplugs in their ears to attentuate a series of computer generated tone pips. Hypnotizability testing was completely separated in both time (6-9 months prior) and context from this research. Alert hypnosis (Barabasz, 1985; Barabasz & Barabasz, 1996) was used to preclude effects that might be wrought by relaxation. Only the hypnotizable participants showed statistically significant attenuation of their EEG ERPs in response to the hypnotic induction plus suggestion condition in contrast to the identical suggestion alone. An independent post-experimental inquiry revealed that the one highly hypnotizable participant who responded in an equivalent manner to both conditions spontaneously entered hypnosis in an effort to respond to the essence of the instructions. Consistent with previous research (Barabasz, Barabasz, Jensen, Calvin, Trevisan, & Warner, 1999; Barabasz & Lonsdale, 1983; Spiegel, Cutcomb, Ren, & Pribram, 1985), the data reveal that when responses are time locked to events, robust physiological markers of the hypnotic state emerge that reflect alterations in consciousness corresponding to participants'' subjective experiences of perceptual alteration. These effects were not produced by suggestion alone but only by hypnosis in hypnotizable participants. It would appear that hypnotic state induced responses go beyond those wrought by suggestion alone when efforts are made to establish sufficient hypnotic depth. However, it remains important to understand that less demanding effects can also be produced by social influence, context and personal abilities (Kirsch, Council, & Mobayed, 1987; Lynn, Rhue, & Weekes, 1990). Given the leptokertic distribution of hypnotizability in the general population, social influence may account for a number of the more easily produced responses seen particularly in non-clinical university participant research situations where samples are comprised primarily of those with moderate hypnotizability. [Abstract in Psychological Hypnosis: A Bulletin of Division 30, Vol. 10, No. 1, Winter-Spring 2001.] 1983; Spiegel, Cutcomb, Ren, & Pribram, 1985), the data reveal that when responses are time locked to events, robust physiological markers of the hypnotic state emerge that reflect alterations in consciousness corresponding to participants'' subjective experiences of perceptual alteration. These effects were not produced by suggestion alone but only by hypnosis in hypnotizable participants. It would appear that hypnotic state induced responses go beyond those wrought by suggestion alone when efforts are made to establish sufficient hypnotic depth. However, it remains important to understand that less demanding effects can also be produced by social influence, context and personal abilities (Kirsch, Council, & Mobayed, 1987; Lynn, Rhue, & Weekes, 1990). Given the leptokertic distribution of hypnotizability in the general population, social influence may account for a number of the more easily produced responses seen particularly in non-clinical university participant research situations where samples are comprised primarily of those with moderate hypnotizability. [Abstract in Psychological Hypnosis: A Bulletin of Division 30, Vol. 10, No. 1, Winter-Spring 2001.] Gruzelier, John (2000). Unwanted effects of hypnosis: A review of the evidence and its implications. Contemporary Hypnosis, 17 (4), 161-193. Reviews the growing evidence of unwanted consequences of hypnosis in experimental, clinical, and entertainment settings. Adverse effects are common, may be physiological or psychological, and are mostly short-lived. The more serious consequences almost exclusively occur in clinical and entertainment applications and have included chronic psychopathology, seizure, stupor, spontaneous dissociative episodes, and the resurrection of memories of previous trauma. Associated phenomena may include physiological events and may be unconsciously mediated. Two cases of 1st episode schizophrenia, one following hypnotherapy and one following stage hypnosis, are described. Evidence of affinities between schizophrenia and hypnosis is revisited in the light of contemporary evidence of the neurophysiological mechanisms of hypnosis and schizophrenia, with implications for screening vulnerable individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2002 APA, all rights reserved) Rossi, Ernest L. (2000). In search of a deep psychobiology of hypnosis: Visionary hypotheses for a new millennium. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 42 (3/4), 178-207. This search for the deep psychobiological foundations of hypnosis begins with a review of some of the paradoxes of historical hypnosis and the impasse of current theory. It is proposed that further progress requires a deeper investigation of how psychosocial cues can modulate the mechanisms of healing at the CNS, autonomic, neuroendocrine and cellular-genetic levels. The dynamics of hypnotic communication and healing from the cognitive-behavior level to the cellular-genetic are outlined in 4 stages: (1) information transduction between the experiences of consciousness and the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary system; (2) the psychosomatic network of messenger molecules and their receptors; (3) the immediate early gene protein cascade; and (4) state dependent memory, learning and behavior. Neuroscience research is outlined for its contributions to a mathematical model of how a psychobiological approach to the therapeutic applications of hypnosis and the placebo response could facilitate neurogenesis in the human hippocampus and healing at the cellular-genetic-protein level throughout the body. A series of 10 hypotheses is proposed as a guide for theory and research in therapeutic hypnosis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2002 APA, all rights reserved) 1999 Abela, Marcelle Bartolo (1999-2000). The neurophysiology of hypnosis: Hypnosis as a state of selective attention and disattention.. [Symposium] Presented at 6th Internet World Congress of Biomedical Sciences - INABIS 2000, Castilla-La Mancha University, Spain.. (http://www.uclm.es/inabis2000/posters/files/037/index.htm) While there is much useful information in this document, there are confusing passages and some with errors of fact. For example, I do not think most researchers in the area of hypnosis would state that _The two main current theories of hypnosis are those of neo-dissociation and dissociated control,_ nor would they agree that the Tellegen Absorption Scale is a test of hypnotizability. More significantly, several statements in the Conclusion section do not follow from material presented in preceding sections. For example, the author presents in the body of this paper no discussion of the relationship of ideomotor responses to treatment which might support her recommendation for them being used with low hypnotizable patients. Similarly, no evidence is offered to suggest the writer's conclusion that_clinical extrapolation of the differences between highs and lows theoretically implicates a greater use of suggestive therapy for the latter group instead of analytical hypnotherapy, because since such therapy normally incorporates more permissive suggestions than in hypnoanalysis, lows would be better able to absorb such suggestions,terminating therapy much faster and more successfully._ In fact the article is devoted primarily to neurophysiological aspects of hypnosis and has little to say about either hypnoanalysis or treatment effects and outcomes. - Editor Anderson, Kathryn (1999, November). A test of Barabasz' alert hypnosis on EEG Beta and Theta production for children with ADHD. [Paper] Presented at Annual Meeting of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, New Orleans, LA. This study tested the effects of Barabasz''s Instant Alert Hypnosis (IAH), also known as Instantaneous Neuronal Activation Procedure (INAP, Barabasz and Barabasz, 1995) used as an adjunct to neurotherapy. The sixteen children who participated in ths study met DSM - IV criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Trials of neurotherapy alone were compared to neurotherapy combined with alert hypnosis on beta-theta ratios at five electrode sites (Fp1, Fp2, Fz, Cz and Pz). The results showed that EEG beta-theta ratio means were significantly higher (more than twice as large) in the trials of neurotherapy combined with alert hypnosis in contrast to neurotherapy alone. Beta was significantly enhanced while theta was inhibited. The clinical implications of these findings with regard to improved treatment efficacy and reduced time in treatment are discussed. [Abstract taken from SCEH "FOCUS", Winter 2001..] Barabasz, A.; Barabasz, M.; Jensen, S.; Calvin, S.; Trevisian, M.; Warner, D. (1999). Cortical event-related potentials show the structure of hypnotic suggestions is crucial. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 47 (1), 5-22. Electroencephalographic cortical event-related potentials (ERPs) are affected by information processing strategies and are particularly appropriate for the examination of hypnotic alterations in perception. The effects of positive obstructive and negative obliterating instructions on visual and auditory P300 ERPs were tested. Twenty participants, stringently selected for hypnotizability, were requested to perform identical tasks during waking and alert hypnotic conditions High hypnotizables showed greater ERP amplitudes while experiencing negative hallucinations and lower ERP amplitudes while experiencing positive obstructive hallucinations, in contrast to low hypnotizables and their own waking imagination-only conditions. The data show that when participants are carefully selected for hypnotizability and responses are time locked to events, rather robust physiological markers of hypnosis emerge. These reflect alterations in consciousness that correspond to participants' subjective experiences of perceptual alteration. Accounting for suggestion type reveals remarkable consistency of findings among dozens of researchers. In their Discussion the authors note that not all of the highly hypnotizable subjects demonstrated the changes predicted, consistent with Hilgard's (1992)observation that individual differences in response remain even among high hypnotizables. Post-experimental inquiry revealed the sources of (non-predicted) response for these two people. "One, showing only a moderate ERP amplitude attenuation in the obstructive condition, noted she pictured a cardboard box in front of the computer monitor, but 'I pictured a rather small box that didn't block the entire screen!' Another showed an apparently contradictory response, a markedly diminished amplitude in the negative hallucination that called for deafness during the auditory stimuli. This participant reported the perception of complete obliteration of all sounds and, therefore, showed no surprise ERP effect. 'It was kind of scary when he (AB) said 'deaf' the second time. I couldn't hear anything at all. I was glad when he touched my shoulder and it was OK to hear again. I don't think I would do that again ... I mean do the hypnotic suggestion as much!'" (pp. 17-18). Faymonville, M. E.; Meurisse, M.; Fissette, J. (1999). Hypnosedation: A valuable alternative to traditional anaesthetic techniques. Acta Chirurgica Belgica, 99 (4), 141-146. Hypnosis has become routine practice in our plastic and endocrine surgery services. Revivication of pleasant life experiences has served as the hypnotic substratum in a series of over 1650 patients since 1992. In retrospective studies, followed by randomised prospective studies, we have confirmed the usefulness of hypnosedation (hypnosis in combination with conscious IV sedation) and local anaesthesia as a valuable alternative to traditional anaesthetic techniques. The credibility of hypnotic techniques and their acceptance by the scientific community will depend on independently-confirmed and reproducible criteria of assessing the hypnotic state. Based on the clinical success of this technique, we were interested in confirming this phenomenon in healthy volunteers. The revivication of pleasant life experiences thus served as the cornerstone of a basic research program developed to objectify the neurophysiological attributes of the hypnotic state. We compared hypnosis to normal alertness with similar thought content. In our experience, the activation profile obtained during the hypnotic state was completely different from simple re-memoration of the same subject matter during normal alertness. This represents an objective and independent criteria by which to assess the hypnotic state. 1998 Danziger, N.; Fournier, E.; Bouhassira, D.; Michaud, D.; De Broucker, T.; Santarcangelo, E.; Carli, G.; Chertock, L.; Willer, J. C. (1998). Different strategies of modulation can be operative during hypnotic analgesia: A neurophysiological study. Pain, 75 (1), 85-92. Nociceptive electrical stimuli were applied to the sural nerve during hypnotically-suggested analgesia in the left lower limb of 18 highly susceptible subjects. During this procedure, the verbally reported pain threshold, the nociceptive flexion (RIII) reflex and late somatosensory evoked potentials were investigated in parallel with autonomic responses and the spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG). The hypnotic suggestion of analgesia induced a significant increase in pain threshold in all the selected subjects. All the subjects showed large changes (i.e., by 20% or more) in the amplitudes of their RIII reflexes during hypnotic analgesia by comparison with control conditions. Although the extent of the increase in pain threshold was similar in all the subjects, two distinct patterns of modulation of the RIII reflex were observed during the hypnotic analgesia: in 11 subjects (subgroup 1), a strong inhibition of the reflex was observed whereas in the other seven subjects (subgroup 2) there was a strong facilitation of the reflex. All the subjects in both subgroups displayed similar decreases in the amplitude of late somatosensory evoked cerebral potentials during the hypnotic analgesia. No modification in the autonomic parameters or the EEG was observed. These data suggest that different strategies of modulation can be operative during effective hypnotic analgesia and that these are subject-dependent. Although all subjects may shift their attention away from the painful stimulus (which could explain the decrease of the late somatosensory evoked potentials), some of them inhibit their motor reaction to the stimulus at the spinal level, while in others, in contrast, this reaction is facilitated. Abstract from National Library of Medicine, PubMed 1997 Jasiukaitis, Paul; Nouriani, Bita; Hugdahl, Kenneth; Spiegel, David (1997). Relateralizing hypnosis: Or, have we been barking up the wrong hemisphere?. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 45 (2), 158-177. Research and theory over the past couple decades have suggested that the right cerebral hemisphere might be the focus of brain activity during hypnosis. Recent evidence from electrodermal responding, visual event-related potentials, and Stroop interference, however, can make a case for a role of the left hemisphere in some hypnotic phenomena. Although hemispheric activation on hypnotic challenge may depend in large part on the kind of task the challenge might involve, several general aspects of hypnosis might be more appropriately seen as left-rather than right-hemisphere brain functions. Among these are concentrated attentional focus and the role of language in the establishment of hypnotic reality. A left-hemisphere theory of hypnosis is discussed in light of recent findings and theories about a left-hemisphere basis for synthetic or generational capabilities (Corballis, 1991) and a neuro-evolutionary model of a left-hemisphere dopaminergic activation system for the implementation of predetermined motor programs (Tucker & Williamson, 1984). -- Journal Abstract 1996 Dane, Joseph R. (1996). Hypnosis for pain and neuromuscular rehabilitation with multiple sclerosis: Case summary, literature review, and analysis of outcomes. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 44 (3), 208-231. Videotaped treatment sessions in conjunction with 1-month, 1-year, and 8-year follow-up allow a unique level of analysis in a case study of hypnotic treatment for pain and neuromuscular rehabilitation with multiple sclerosis (MS). rehabilitation with multiple sclerosis (MS). Preparatory psychotherapy was necessary to reduce the patient's massive denial before she could actively participate in hypnosis. Subsequent hypnotic imagery and posthypnotic suggestion were accompanied by significantly improved control of pain, sitting balance, and diplopia (double vision), and a return to ambulatory capacity within 2 weeks of beginning treatment with hypnosis. Evidence regarding efficacy of hypnotic strategies included (a) direct temporal correlations between varying levels of pain relief and ambulatory capacity and the use versus nonuse of hypnotic strategies, (b) the absence of pharmacological explanations, and (c) the ongoing presence of other MS-related symptoms that remained unaltered. In conjunction with existing literature on hypnosis and neuromuscular conditions, results of this case study strongly suggest the need for more detailed and more physiologically based studies of the phenomena involved. - Journal Abstract 1995 Bryant, Richard A.; Somerville, Ernest (1995). Hypnotic induction of an epileptic seizure: A brief communication. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 43 (3), 274-283. This case study investigated the utility of hypnosis to precipitate a seizure in a patient with refractory epilepsy. The patient was twice administered a hypnotic induction and a suggestion to age regress to a day when he was distressed and suffered repeated seizures. The patient did not respond to the first hypnotic suggestion; however, an epileptic seizure was observed in the second hypnotic session. Videorecording and subdural electroencephalograph recording confirmed that he suffered an epileptic seizure. Postexperimental inquiry revealed that the patient used deliberate cognitive strategies to avoid seizure onset in the first session but adopted a more constructive cognitive style in the second session. Findings are discussed in terms of emotions, hypnosis, and cognitive style as mediating factors in the experimental precipitation of epileptic seizures. 1994 DeBenedittis, Giuseppe; Cigada, Mario; Bianchi, Anna; Signorini, Maria Gabriella; Cerutti, Sergio (1994). Autonomic changes during hypnosis: A heart rate variability power spectrum analysis as a marker of sympatho-vagal balance. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 42 (2), 140-152. Spectral analysis of beat-to-beat variability in electrocardiography is a simple, noninvasive method to analyze sympatho-vagal interaction. The electrocardiogram is analyzed by means of an automatic, autoregressive modeling algorithm that provides a quantitative estimate of R-R interval variability by the computation of power spectral density. Two major peaks are recognizable in this specter: a low-frequency peak (LF, -0.2 Hz), related to the overall autonomic activity (ortho + parasympathetic) and a high-frequency peak (HF, -0.25 hz), representative of the vagal activity. The LF/HF ratio is an index of the sympatho-vagal interaction. This technique was applied, using a computer-assisted electrocardiograph, to 10 healthy volunteers (6 high and 4 low hypnotizable subjects as determined by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C) in randomized awake and neutral hypnosis conditions. Preliminary results indicated that hypnosis affects heart rate variability, shifting the balance of the sympatho-vagal interaction toward an enhanced parasympathetic activity, concomitant with a reduction of the sympathetic tone. A positive correlation between hypnotic susceptibility and autonomic responsiveness during hypnosis was also found, with high hypnotizable subjects showing a trend toward a greater increase of vagal efferent activity than did low hypnotizables. tone. A positive correlation between hypnotic susceptibility and autonomic responsiveness during hypnosis was also found, with high hypnotizable subjects showing a trend toward a greater increase of vagal efferent activity than did low hypnotizables. 1993 Hall, Howard; Minnes, Luke; Olness, Karen (1993). The psychophysiology of voluntary immunomodulation. International Journal of Neuroscience, 69, 221-234. In twenty-two studies of intentional efforts of humans to change immune measures, only four monitored psychophysiologic parameters. One study reported physiologic alterations associated with immune changes. In this current study we examined changes in pulse rate and peripheral temperature associated with intentional changes in neutrophil adherence. Subjects had blood, pulse and temperature recordings collected before and after either a rest condition (Group A), or a self-regulation exercise (Groups B and C) for two sessions. Group C had four prior training sessions before participating in the experimental sessions. This study found no association between psychophysiologic alterations and neutrophil changes. the control group (A) demonstrated no significant neutrophil changes but showed physiologic alterations, whereas, the experimental group (C) that showed increases in neutrophil adherence demonstrated no significant physiologic changes. It was speculated that intentional changes on neutrophil adherence and the pattern of the psychophysiologic measures were associated with and reflective of cognitive activity. Lyskov, E.; Juutilainen, J.; Jousmaki, V.; Hanninen, O.; Medvedev, S.; Partanen, J. (1993). Influence of short-term exposure of magnetic field on the bioelectrical processes of the brain and performance. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 14, 227-231. The influence of an extremely-low-frequency (ELF) magnetic field on the bioelectrical processes of brain and performance was studied by EEG spectral analysis, auditory-evoked potentials (AEP), reaction time (Roletaking) and target-deletion test (TDT). Fourteen volunteers were exposed for 15 min to an intermittent (1 s on/off) 45- Hz magnetic field at 1000 A/m (1.26 mT). Each person received one real and one sham exposure. Statistically significant increases in spectral power through alpha- and beta- bands, as well as in mean frequency of the EEG spectrum were observed after magnetic field exposure. Field-dependent changes of N1OO were also revealed. No changes in the amplitudes or latencies of the earlier peaks were observed. No direct effects on Roletaking, nor on TDT performance were seen. However, practice effects on Roletaking (decrease of Roletaking in the course of the test-sessions) seemed to be interrupted by exposure to the magnetic field. 1992 Spiegel, David; King, R. (1992). Hypnotizability and CSF and HVA levels among psychiatric patients. Biological Psychiatry, 31, 95-98. The authors found evidence that the ability to experience hypnosis as measured by the Hypnotic Induction Profile is associated with levels of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Dopaminergic synapses are widely distributed in the frontal cortex, and CSF HVA is correlated with dopamine turnover in the frontal cortex. Thus, dopamine activity, possibly involving the frontal lobes, appears to be involved in hypnotic concentration. -pamine activity, possibly involving the frontal lobes, appears to be involved in hypnotic concentration. Weinstein, Edwin J.; Au, Phillip K. (1991). Use of hypnosis before and during angioplasty. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 34, 29-37 In this study, 16 patients matched with 16 controls were hypnotized prior to angioplasty. The hypnotized patients had a 25% increase in the time the cardiologist was able to keep the balloon inflated compared to the controls. Of the hypnotized patients, 13% required additional narcotic pain medication during the procedure as compared to 44% for the controls. Although we found no differences in rhythm, ischemia, blood pressure, or pulse between the two groups, the results of arterial catecholamine levels drawn at the start and at the end of the procedure were unexpected and seemed paradoxical. Norepinephrine levels were significantly higher in the hypnotized group (432 pg/ml, SE 51) than in the control group (281 pg/ml, SE 23) at the start of the procedure and fell more during the procedure than in control patients. Because catecholamines reportedly act as a barometer of neuroanxiety, further studies defining their role are needed.