Hypnosis as a Mechanism of Emotion Regulation and Self-Integration: An Integrative Review of Neural, Cognitive, and Experiential Pathways to Fundamental Peace
Luis Miguel Gallardo, Saamdu Chetri
Behavioral Sciences March 9, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/bs16030395 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Integrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | clinical hypnosis |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation |
| Keywords | Hypnosis Operationalization Mechanism biology Neuroimaging Cognition Affective science Dissociative Experiential learning Cognitive psychology Psychotherapist Salience neuroscience Construct python library Normative Perspective graphical Suggestibility Experiential avoidance |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Hypnosis operates by reconfiguring large-scale brain networks—particularly reducing default mode network activity and enhancing executive control-salience network coupling—to enable adaptive emotion regulation and reduce dissociative fragmentation, with meta-analytic evidence from 85 controlled trials showing robust pain reduction. |
Abstract
Hypnosis has traditionally been conceptualized as a clinical technique for reducing physiological symptoms (e.g., pain, nausea) and psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety, intrusive thoughts), yet emerging neuroscientific evidence suggests it operates through the fundamental mechanisms of emotional regulation and self-integration. This integrative review synthesizes research on clinical hypnosis from cognitive neuroscience, affective science, and clinical practice to examine how hypnotic phenomena modulate large-scale brain networks-particularly the default mode network (DMN), executive control network (ECN), and salience network (SaN)-to reorganize emotional experience and self-referential processing. We propose a formal mechanistic model in which hypnotic induction produces heightened experiential plasticity through coordinated network reconfiguration, enabling adaptive emotion regulation and reduced dissociative fragmentation. Central to this framework is the construct of Fundamental Peace (FP), operationalized as a dynamic neuro-experiential state characterized by: (1) flexible attentional control without effortful suppression; (2) emotional coherence across self-states; (3) reduced self-referential rigidity; (4) compassionate self-awareness. Unlike equanimity (affective neutrality) or well-being (positive evaluation), Fundamental Peace represents integrated regulatory capacity under changing conditions. Key findings from neuroimaging studies demonstrate that hypnotic states consistently reduce DMN activity, enhance ECN-SaN coupling, and modulate connectivity patterns associated with self-referential processing. Meta-analytic evidence from 85 controlled experimental trials shows robust pain reduction effects, while clinical studies document improvements in trauma-related dissociation and emotional dysregulation. We critically evaluate this framework against alternative theories (dissociated control, cold control, predictive processing, social-cognitive models), specify testable predictions, and assess evidence quality across neuroimaging and clinical domains. Implications for trauma treatment, clinical implementation, and future research integrating causal inference methods are discussed, alongside ethical and cultural considerations.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Brain's Default Mode Network | 2015 | Review | |
| Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology | 2012 | Review | |
| 20 years of the default mode network: A review and synthesis | 2023 | Review | |
| On the relationship between the “default mode network” and the “social brain” | 2012 | Review | |
| The default mode network and social understanding of others: what do brain connectivity studies tell us Healthy subjects, with some studies on patients with autism and psychopathy | 2014 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Neural correlates of nondual awareness in meditation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2014
- Hypnotic modulation of resting state fMRI default mode and extrinsic network connectivity. Progress in Brain Research 2011
- Cerebral mechanisms of hypnotic induction and suggestion. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience January 1999