Health & Medicine - Posted by Tomas Barrett-Cardiff on Thursday, February 21, 2013 13:01 - 6 Comments 
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(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...Hypnosis sheds light on mystery paralysis
Comparing symptoms shown by conversion disorder patients to those produced by suggestions of "paralysis" in hypnosis revealed similar patterns of brain activation when the subjects' attempted to move the affected limb, report researchers. (Credit: iStockphoto)
CARDIFF U. / UCL (UK) — Hypnosis could offer a window into the brains of people with medically unexplained paralysis, say researchers.
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A special issue of Cortex illustrates how methodological and theoretical advances, using hypnotic suggestion, can return novel and experimentally verifiable insights for the neuroscience of consciousness and motor control.
To demonstrate the future potential of this growing field, guest editors Professor Peter Halligan from the School of Psychology at Cardiff University and David A. Oakley of University College London, brought together leading researchers from cognitive neuroscience and hypnosis to contribute to the issue.
The research also includes brain imaging studies that address skeptics’ concerns regarding the subjective reality and comparability of hypnotically suggested phenomena that previously depended on subjects’ largely unverifiable report and behavior.
Halligan and Oakley also contribute to a new brain-imaging study in the special issue that explores the brain systems involved in hypnotic paralysis. This research follows their earlier pioneering work on hypnotic leg paralysis reported in the Lancet in 2000.
Patients with “functional” or “psychogenic” conversion disorders present symptoms, such as paralyses, are clinically challenging. They comprise between 30 and 40 percent of patients attending neurology outpatient clinics and place a huge strain on public health services.
“This new study, working with colleagues at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, suggests that hypnosis can provide insights into of the brain systems involved in patients who display symptoms of neurological illness, but without evidence of brain damage,” says Halligan.
New insights show that symptoms experienced by patients with functional or dissociative conversion disorders (e.g. medically unexplained paralysis) can be simulated using targeted hypnotic suggestion.
“In this study we monitored brain activations of healthy volunteers with hypnosis induction who experienced paralysis-like experiences which could be turned ‘on’ and ‘off.’ The suggestion resulted in subjects being unable to move a joystick together with a realistic and compelling experience of being unable to move and control their left hand despite trying.
“When compared to the completed movements, the suggested paralysis condition revealed increased activity in brain regions know to be active during motor planning and intention to move—and also brain areas involved in response selection and inhibition.”
Comparing symptoms conveyed by conversion disorder patients and those produced by “paralysis” suggestions in hypnosis, has revealed similar patterns of brain activation associated with attempted movement of the affected limb.
These findings could inform future studies of the brain mechanisms underpinning limb paralysis in patients with conversion disorders. More importantly, they could lead to effective treatments.
Source: Cardiff University
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6 Comments
“Hypnotic paralysis” is an ordinary effect called catalepsy. Clinical and medical hypnotists use it all the time. For example, helping a client become convinced they’re experiencing hypnosis by suggesting their eyes will stay shut even if they try to open them. Stage hypnotists use it too, perhaps with the suggestion someone is stuck to their chair or their feet are stuck to the ground.
There is a lot of previous research that shows brain activity representing imagined experiences while in hypnosis matches the brain activity of the actual experiences. It seems to me like hypnosis research repeatedly ignores what is already known and established about hypnosis. So to the comment above from Houston Hypnosis, I’m not sure it is science actually catching up with hypnosis as much as science repeatedly confirming what is already known while publishing findings that appear to reinvent the wheel.
Dave is absolutely correct. We do work with hypnosis daily and it is a very positive and powerful tool to help you achieve almost any outcome. I’m surprised a lot more people do not use hypnosis in their daily lives. Everyone has something about them they would like to fix and improve on. Our own studies done years before this one have shown the same results. Hypnosis works, period. It also has made great improvements in my own life and I dedicated my life to it to help other achieve their true happiness. Thank for the article great read.
Hello.This article was really fascinating, especially because I was browsing for thoughts on this issue last week….. i really enjoy your blog
Absolutely wonderful post i really appreciate it and i wana read and increase my knowledge more
Jean Turner
I’ve been caring for someone with dementia. Although, I have spent time being frustated and feeling sorry for myself, I have made some useful observations:
She has arthritis and cannot even lift a knife and fork without complaining. However, she will flip into a mode that enables her to mobilise herself around and unlock doors, etcetera. These activities would usually be impossible and some improvisation occurs, e.g. she put orange juice on cornflakes when there was no milk in the ‘fridge.
Obseving this and the seemingly not being able to remember the incidents may be one expanation for split personalities and multiple peronalities?
This is amazing. It looks like science is catching up to hypnosis.
I can’t wait to see one of these experiments in the States.