Key result
Hypnosis is closely linked to power in the theta band and changes in gamma activity, which may mechanistically facilitate and underlie some hypnotic responses.
Theta and gamma brain oscillations may provide a mechanistic link to understanding and enhancing responses to hypnotic treatments.
May guide mechanistic research on hypnosis; leaves open clinical translation without prospective trials.
In this article, we summarize the state-of-science knowledge regarding the associations between hypnosis and brain oscillations. Brain oscillations represent the combined electrical activity of neuronal assemblies, and are usually measured as specific frequencies representing slower (delta, theta, alpha) and faster (beta, gamma) oscillations. Hypnosis has been most closely linked to power in the theta band and changes in gamma activity. These oscillations are thought to play a critical role in both the recording and recall of declarative memory and emotional limbic circuits. Here we propose that it is this role that may be the mechanistic link between theta (and perhaps gamma) oscillations and hypnosis; specifically that theta oscillations may facilitate, and that changes in gamma activity observed with hypnosis may underlie, some hypnotic responses. If these hypotheses are supported, they have important implications for both understanding the effects of hypnosis, and for enhancing response to hypnotic treatments.
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Jensen et al. (2015) conducted a review in Hypnosis and brain oscillations. Hypnosis was evaluated. Hypnosis is closely linked to power in the theta band and changes in gamma activity, which may mechanistically facilitate and underlie some hypnotic responses.
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