Hypnotic suggestion reduces conflict in the human brain (original) (raw)
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Hypnosis decouples cognitive control from conflict monitoring processes of the frontal lobe
Neuroimage, 2005
Hypnosis can profoundly alter sensory awareness and cognitive processing. While the cognitive and behavioral phenomena associated with hypnosis have long been thought to relate to attentional processes, the neural mechanisms underlying susceptibility to hypnotic induction and the hypnotic condition are poorly understood. Here we tested the proposal that highly hypnotizable individuals are particularly adept at focusing attention at baseline, but that their attentional control is compromised following hypnosis due to a decoupling between conflict monitoring and cognitive control processes of the frontal lobe. Employing event-related fMRI and EEG coherence measures, we compared conflict-related neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and control-related activity in the lateral frontal cortex (LFC) during Stroop task performance between participants of low and high hypnotic susceptibility, at baseline and after hypnotic induction. The fMRI data revealed that conflict-related ACC activity interacted with hypnosis and hypnotic susceptibility, in that highly susceptible participants displayed increased conflict-related neural activity in the hypnosis condition compared to baseline, as well as with respect to subjects with low susceptibility. Cognitive control-related LFC activity, on the other hand, did not differ between groups and conditions. These data were complemented by a decrease in functional connectivity (EEG gamma band coherence) between frontal midline and left lateral scalp sites in highly susceptible subjects after hypnosis. These results suggest that individual differences in hypnotic susceptibility are linked with the efficiency of the frontal attention system, and that the hypnotized condition is characterized by a functional dissociation of conflict monitoring and cognitive control processes.
NeuroImage, 2015
Theoretical models of hypnosis have emphasized the importance of attentional processes in accounting for hypnotic phenomena but their exact nature and brain substrates remain unresolved. Individuals vary in their susceptibility to hypnosis, a variability often attributed to differences in attentional functioning such as greater ability to filter irrelevant information and inhibit prepotent responses. However, behavioral studies of attentional performance outside the hypnotic state have provided conflicting results. We used fMRI to investigate the recruitment of attentional networks during a modified flanker task in High and Low hypnotizable participants. The task was performed in a normal (no hypnotized) state. While behavioral performance did not reliably differ between groups, components of the fronto-parietal executive network implicated in monitoring (anterior cingulate cortex; ACC), adjustment (lateral prefrontal cortex; latPFC), and implementation of attentional control (intraparietal sulcus; IPS) were differently activated depending on the hypnotizability of the subjects: the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) was more recruited, whereas IPS and ACC were less recruited by High susceptible individuals compared to Low. Our results demonstrate that susceptibility to hypnosis is associated with particular executive control capabilities allowing efficient attentional focusing, and point to specific neural substrates in right prefrontal cortex. Significance statement: We demonstrated that outside hypnosis, low hypnotizable subjects recruited more parietal cortex and anterior cingulate regions during selective attention conditions suggesting a better detection and implementation of conflict. However, outside hypnosis the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG) was more recruited by highly hypnotizable subjects during selective attention conditions suggesting a better control of conflict. Furthermore, in highly hypnotizable subjects this region was more connected to the default mode network suggesting a tight dialogue between internally and externally driven processes that may permit higher flexibility in attention and underlie a greater ability to dissociate.
Hypnotic Ability and Baseline Attention: fMRI Findings From Stroop Interference
A benchmark experimental conflict task, the Stroop interference effect, probes selective attention. Regarding individual differences, accounts from multiple independent research groups have shown that a specific suggestion to obviate word meaning can reduce the Stroop interference effect in high-but usually not low-hypnotizable participants. Here we report findings from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showing that high-hypnotizable participants, compared with low-hypnotizables, may maintain a distinct baseline of attention even outside of hypnosis or suggestion. Although previous neuroimaging investigation of suggestion-induced Stroop reduction implicated a locus of brain regions prominently including the anterior cingulate cortex, here we observed suggestion-free group differences focal to the fusiform gyrus and pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus — regions associated with word reading and visual attention, respectively. We contextualize our findings in terms of earlier efforts that have attempted to link hypnotizability and baseline performance of attention.
Neurocognition Under Hypnosis: Findings From Recent Functional Neuroimaging Studies
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2012
Functional neuroimaging studies show that hypnosis affects attention by modulating anterior cingulate cortex activation and uncoupling conflict monitoring and cognitive control function. Considering functional changes in the activation of the occipital and temporal cortices, precuneus, and other extrastriate visual areas, which account for hypnosis-induced altered reality perception, the role of mental imagery areas appears to be central under hypnosis. This is further stressed by the fact that motor commands are processed differently in the normal conscious state, deviating toward the precuneus and extrastriate visual areas. Functional neuroimaging also shows that posthypnotic suggestions alter cognitive processes. Further research should investigate the effects of hypnosis on other executive functions and personality measures.Studien über funktionelle Neurobildgebung zeigen, daß Hypnose die Aufmerksamkeit durch Modulation der Aktivierung des vorderen cingulären Cortex beeinflußt wie auch die Loslösung der Konfliktüberwachung und der kognitiven Kontrollfunktion. Bedenkt man funktionelle Änderungen in der Aktivierung der occipitalen und temporalen Korteces, Precuneus und anderen extrastriatalen visuellen Areale, die für die Hypnose-induzierten veränderten Realitätswahrnehmung grundlegend sind, scheint die Rolle derjenigen Areale, die für mentale Bilder zuständig sind, unter Hypnose von zentraler Bedeutung zu sein. Dies wird weiterhin durch die Tatsache unterstützt, daß motorische Befehle im normalen Bewußtseinszustand anders verarbeitet werden und sich in Richtung der precunären und extrastriatalen visuellen Areale verschieben. Die funktionelle Neurobildgebung zeigt außerdem, daß posthypnotische Suggestionen kognitive Prozesse verändern. Weiterführende Forschungen sollten die Effekte von Hypnose auch andere ausführende Funktionen und Persönlichkeitsmerkmale untersuchen.Stephanie Reigel, MDDes études sur la neuroimagerie fonctionnelle montrent que l'hypnose influence l'attention en modulant l'activation du cortex cingulaire antérieur et en découplant la fonction de monitorage de conflit et celle de contrôle cognitif. Étant donné les changements fonctionnels survenant dans l'activation des cortex occipital et temporal, le précunéus et d'autres aires visuelles extrastriées, lesquelles expliquent l'altération de la perception de la réalité induite par l'hypnose, le rôle des aires relatives à l'imagerie mentale semble être central lorsqu'un sujet est en état d'hypnose. Cela est par ailleurs démontré par le fait que les commandes motrices sont traitées distinctement durant un état conscient normal; elles dévient en effet vers le précunéus et les aires visuelles extrastriées. La neuroimagerie fonctionnelle montre également que les suggestions post-hypnotiques influencent les processus cognitifs. D'autres recherches devraient permettre d'étudier les effets de l'hypnose sur différentes fonctions exécutives et mesures de la personnalité.Johanne Reynault C. Tr. (STIBC) Estudios de neuroimagen funcional muestran que la hipnosis afecta la atención modulando la activación de la corteza anterior cingular y al desacoplar las funciones de monitoreo de conflictos y control cognitivo. Considerando los cambios funciones en la activación de las cortezas occipital y temporal, precúneo, y otras áreas visuales extraestriadas, que explican la percepción alterada de la realidad hipnóticamente inducida, el papel de las áreas de imágenes mentales parece ser central bajo hipnosis. Esto se enfatiza todavía más por el hecho de que las órdenes motoras se procesan de forma distinta en el estado normal de conciencia, desviándose hace el precúneo y las áreas visuales extraestriadas. La neuroimagen funcional también muestra que las sugerencias poshipnóticas alteran los procesos cognitivos. Investigaciones futuras deberían investigar los efectos de la hipnosis en otras funciones ejecutivas y mediciones de personalidad.Omar Sánchez-Armáss Cappello, PhD Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Hypnotic Depth and Response to Suggestion Under Standardized Conditions and During fMRI Scanning
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2007
Hypnosis is a potentially valuable cognitive tool for neuroimaging studies. However, understandable concern that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in particular may adversely affect hypnotic procedures remains. Measurements of hypnotic depth and responsiveness to suggestions were taken using a standardized procedure that met all the requirements for functional MRI (fMRI). Testing outside the scanning environment showed reliable and stable changes in subjective hypnotic depth, with no carryover once the hypnosis had been terminated. Within-subject comparisons showed that the magnitude and pattern of these changes and the degree of responsiveness to hypnotic suggestion were not discernibly affected by the fMRI environment. It is concluded that hypnosis can be employed as a discrete and reliable cognitive tool within fMRI neuroimaging settings.
Structural and Functional Cerebral Correlates of Hypnotic Suggestibility
PLoS ONE, 2014
Little is known about the neural bases of hypnotic suggestibility, a cognitive trait referring to the tendency to respond to hypnotic suggestions. In the present magnetic resonance imaging study, we performed regression analyses to assess hypnotic suggestibility-related differences in local gray matter volume, using voxel-based morphometry, and in waking resting state functional connectivity of 10 resting state networks, in 37 healthy women. Hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with gray matter volume in portions of the left superior and medial frontal gyri, roughly overlapping with the supplementary and pre-supplementary motor area, and negatively correlated with gray matter volume in the left superior temporal gyrus and insula. In the functional connectivity analysis, hypnotic suggestibility was positively correlated with functional connectivity between medial posterior areas, including bilateral posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, and both the lateral visual network and the left fronto-parietal network; a positive correlation was also found with functional connectivity between the executive-control network and a right postcentral/parietal area. In contrast, hypnotic suggestibility was negatively correlated with functional connectivity between the right fronto-parietal network and the right lateral thalamus. These findings demonstrate for the first time a correlation between hypnotic suggestibility, the structural features of specific cortical regions, and the functional connectivity during the normal resting state of brain structures involved in imagery and self-monitoring activity.
Contemporary Hypnosis, 2006
An update is provided of an earlier review of the range of evidence for neurophysiological changes in frontal and lateralized functions with hypnosis, changes which have differentiated high from low hypnotically susceptible subjects, and which led to a working model and neuropsychological translation of the hypnotic induction process. New evidence is outlined from an fMRI/EEG study. This study also disclosed the importance of neural efficiency in left lateral frontal and anterior cingulate structures, and their connectivity, for distinguishing high from low hypnotic susceptibility both in hypnosis and in the everyday state. This amplifies earlier constructs such as cognitive flexibility. Though the focus will be largely on the alteration of connections with the anterior brain and its corresponding alterations of function, interhemispheric, posterior and subcortical connectivity is also considered. The practical implications for the interaction between the hypnotherapist and subject are considered, including stage hypnosis.
Cerebral Mechanisms of Hypnotic Induction and Suggestion
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 1999
The neural mechanisms underlying hypnotic states and responses to hypnotic suggestions remain largely unknown and, to date, have been studied only with indirect methods. Here, the effects of hypnosis and suggestions to alter pain perception were investigated in hypnotizable subjects by using positron emission tomography (PET) measures of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of brain electrical activity. The experimental conditions included a restful state (Baseline) followed by hypnotic relaxation alone (Hypnosis) and by hypnotic relaxation with suggestions for altered pain unpleasantness (Hypnosis-with-Suggestion). During each scan, the left hand was immersed in neutral (35°C) or painfully hot (47°C) water in the first two conditions and in painfully hot water in the last condition. Hypnosis was accompanied by significant increases in both occipital rCBF and delta EEG activity, which were highly correlated with each other (r = 0.70, p < ...
Psychophysiology, 2011
Spontaneous dissociative alterations in awareness and perception among highly suggestible individuals following a hypnotic induction may result from disruptions in the functional coordination of the frontal-parietal network. We recorded EEG and self-reported state dissociation in control and hypnosis conditions in two sessions with low and highly suggestible participants. Highly suggestible participants reliably experienced greater state dissociation and exhibited lower frontal-parietal phase synchrony in the alpha2 frequency band during hypnosis than low suggestible participants. These findings suggest that highly suggestible individuals exhibit a disruption of the frontal-parietal network that is only observable following a hypnotic induction.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Demonstrates That Hypnosis Is Conscious and Voluntary
Psychology, 2018
Hypnosis is a condition of modified consciousness (monoideism) resulting from a mental representation able to produce psychological and physical effects. The general belief is that hypnosis is conscious and voluntary, but the practical demonstration of this hypothesis is far to be demonstrated. Twenty healthy highly hypnotizable volunteers were studied during through functional magnetic resonance imaging during a task. The task was necessary because functional magnetic resonance imaging gives no interesting results in neutral hypnosis. During the hypnotic task, the prefrontal dorso-lateral cortex, genual cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and orbital portion of the inferior frontal convolution (i.e. the Broadmann areas 9, 25, 32 and 47) were activated. Such areas are associated to egoic consciousness and voluntary processes. The results show that the hypothesis that hypnosis is conscious and voluntary is correct.