Hypnosis and top-down regulation of consciousness.
Devin B. Terhune, Axel Cleeremans, Amir Raz, S. Lynn
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews February 4, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key findings | Hypnosis is a unique form of top-down regulation with pronounced effects on psychological phenomena, useful for studying consciousness and as a therapeutic method. |
Abstract
Hypnosis is a unique form of top-down regulation in which verbal suggestions are capable of eliciting pronounced changes in a multitude of psychological phenomena. Hypnotic suggestion has been widely used both as a technique for studying basic science questions regarding human consciousness but also as a method for targeting a range of symptoms within a therapeutic context. Here we provide a synthesis of current knowledge regarding the characteristics and neurocognitive mechanisms of hypnosis. We review evidence from cognitive neuroscience, experimental psychopathology, and clinical psychology regarding the utility of hypnosis as an experimental method for modulating consciousness, as a model for studying healthy and pathological cognition, and as a therapeutic vehicle. We also highlight the relations between hypnosis and other psychological phenomena, including the broader domain of suggestion and suggestibility, and conclude by identifying the most salient challenges confronting the nascent cognitive neuroscience of hypnosis and outlining future directions for research on hypnosis and suggestion.
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- Comparing Neural Correlates of Consciousness: From Psychedelics to Hypnosis and Meditation Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging July 17, 2023
- Direct comparisons between hypnosis and meditation: A mini-review. Frontiers in Psychology July 15, 2022
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