Plasticity changes in the brain in hypnosis and meditation
Ulrike Halsband, Susanne Mueller, Thilo Hinterberger, Simon Strickner
Contemporary Hypnosis October 30, 2009 DOI: 10.1002/ch.386 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation Neuroplasticity |
| Citations | 93 |
| Key findings | Argues that hypnosis and meditation share some neural substrates but differ in others: meditation enhances frontal alpha, while hypnosis shows central and temporal alpha and greater theta 2 activity. Hypnosis with imagery-mediated learning activates occipital and prefrontal areas and improves memory. Longitudinal Zen meditation training alters frontal and precuneus activations over time. |
Abstract
Abstract Neuroscientific evidence interprets both hypnotic trance induction and different meditation traditions as modified states of consciousness that emphasize attention, concentration and the letting go of thoughts, but they differ in terms of sensory input, processing, memory, and the sense of time. Furthermore, hypnosis is based on the suggestibility of a person and meditation on mindfulness; therefore it is not surprising to find differential brain plasticity changes. We analysed shared and non‐shared neural substrates using electroencephalography (EEG), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Most pronounced EEG changes were in deep as compared to light hypnosis (step‐by‐step induction) and in arm levitation where suggested movement was perceived as external. In a within‐subject‐design changes in brain activity during hypnosis and Tibetan Buddhist meditation were compared. High amplitudes in alpha frequency bands were most pronounced with meditation at frontal positions and with hypnosis in central and temporal locations. Significantly greater activity in theta 2 band was observed only with hypnosis in both hemispheres. PET cerebral activation patterns of imagery‐mediated learning were analysed in hypnosis in a within‐subject‐design. Compared with baseline the learning of high‐imagery words was associated with (i) more pronounced bilateral activation in the occipital cortex and prefrontal areas and (ii) improved memory performance. Visual illusion in hypnosis was studied with fMRI, analysed with Granger Causality Mapping, showing changes in the effective connectivity relations of fusiform gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex and intraparietal sulcus. Little is known about the neurobiological basis of theprocessof enhancing cognitive and emotional traits in meditation. In a longitudinal fMRI study attention abilities through intensive Soto‐Zen meditation were investigated before (baseline), after training (6 months) and at follow‐up (9 months). After six months differences were observed in the left inferior and left superior frontal gyrus; after 9 months activations in the left precuneus. Taken together, the findings advance understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie hypnosis and meditation. Further studies with a greater sample size are needed to explore the differences and commonalities of hypnosis and different meditation techniques. Copyright © 2009 British Society of Experimental & Clinical Hypnosis. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 15
- Analysis of Electrophysiological State Patterns and Changes During Hypnosis Induction International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis February 28, 2011
- Direct comparisons between hypnosis and meditation: A mini-review. Frontiers in Psychology July 15, 2022
- Dissociative identity as a continuum from healthy mind to psychiatric disorders: Epistemological and neurophenomenological implications approached through hypnosis. Medical Hypotheses September 1, 2019
- The “Hidden Observer” as the Cognitive Unconscious During Hypnosis Activitas Nervosa Superior September 1, 2016
- Meditation and guided imagery show reduction in chronic stress and increase in mental health-related quality of life for college students. Journal of American College Health January 13, 2025
and 10 more in the library
Cites 28
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 8, 2004
- Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources PLoS Biology May 4, 2007
- Physiological Effects of Transcendental Meditation Science March 27, 1970
- Investigation of mindfulness meditation practitioners with voxel-based morphometry Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience December 3, 2007
and 23 more in the library