Human Brain Mapping
May 8, 2008
Melanie Boly, Christophe Phillips, Evelyne Balteau et al.
73 citations
Variability in how people perceive the same sensory stimulus from one moment to the next may stem from ongoing fluctuations in baseline brain activity. This review examines evidence that activity levels in sensory brain areas before a stimulus predict whether that stimulus will be consciously perceived. The findings are discussed in the context of recent discoveries about the structure of spontaneous BOLD signal fluctuations in the awake human brain, and possible sources of these baseline fluctuations are considered.
Scientific reports
October 1, 2019
Charlotte Martial, Armand Mensen, Vanessa Charland-Verville et al.
36 citations
A proof-of-concept study induced near-death experience (NDE)-like features in five volunteers who had previously had a pleasant NDE by having them recall the memory under hypnosis while their brain activity was recorded with high-density EEG. The hypnosis protocol recreated NDE-like features without adverse effects and increased absorption and dissociation compared to normal consciousness recall. Recalling the NDE phenomenology was associated with increased alpha brain activity in frontal and posterior regions. The methodology offers a controlled way to prospectively study NDE-like features and their EEG correlates.
Quality of Life Research
October 6, 2020
Charlotte Grégoire, Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse et al.
25 citations
A group intervention combining self-hypnosis and self-care improved self-esteem, reduced emotional distress, decreased maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, and increased mindfulness abilities in post-treatment cancer patients. Mindfulness gains accounted for 33% of the improvement in self-esteem and 41.6% of the reduction in emotional distress. The study included 95 women with cancer, with the intervention group showing significant benefits compared to a wait-list control group.
Scientific Reports
September 22, 2023
Victor Oswald, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Jitka Annen et al.
24 citations
Self-induced cognitive trance (SICT) is a voluntary non-ordinary state of consciousness involving narrowed awareness, hyper-focused immersion, and altered perception. This study examined autonomic nervous system changes during SICT by measuring heart rate variability and respiration rate variability in 25 proficient participants across three conditions: resting state, SICT, and a mental imagery task. During SICT, participants showed increased heart rate, decreased high-frequency heart rate variability, and specific increases in respiratory amplitude, phase ratio, and respiration rate variability compared to control conditions. These findings suggest SICT is associated with reduced parasympathetic activity, indicating a hyperarousal state of the autonomic nervous system.
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine
May 9, 2020
Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Anne‐Sophie Nyssen, Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville
22 citations
Hypnosis, a modified state of consciousness, reduces pain perception by re-engaging patients' resources to modulate pain and emotional distress, improving treatment and well-being. Neuroimaging shows hypnosis influences self and environmental consciousness networks, attentional and somatosensorial networks, disengaging subjects from external surroundings and altering body sensations and spontaneous thoughts. This review articulates clinical and neuroimaging findings on hypnosis for external pain stimuli, aiming to clarify mechanisms to guide future randomized controlled studies.
NeuroImage
June 1, 2024
Pradeep Kumar G, Rajanikant Panda, Kanishka Sharma et al.
20 citations
High-order interactions between brain regions, measured as synergistic and redundant information, change differently across three non-ordinary states of consciousness. During Rajyoga meditation, synergy increased across the whole brain in delta and theta brainwave bands, while redundancy decreased in frontal, central, and posterior electrodes in delta and beta bands. During hypnosis, synergy decreased in mid-frontal, temporal, and mid-centro-parietal electrodes in the delta band, and in left frontal and right parietal electrodes in the beta2 band. During auto-induced cognitive trance, synergy decreased in delta and theta bands in left-frontal, right-frontocentral, and posterior electrodes, and at the whole brain level in the alpha band. Redundancy changes during hypnosis and auto-induced cognitive trance were not significant. Subjective reports of absorption, dissociation, and mystical experience did not correlate with the high-order measures.
Frontiers in psychology
January 1, 2022
Charlotte Grégoire, Nolwenn Marie, Corine Sombrun et al.
20 citations
A protocol describes a planned trial comparing three group interventions—hypnosis, mindful self-compassion meditation, and self-induced cognitive trance (SICT)—against a no-intervention control for improving quality of life in cancer patients who have completed active treatment within the past year. The study targets cancer-related fatigue, emotional distress, sleep difficulties, pain, and cognitive problems. Each participant chooses their preferred arm. Data from questionnaires, neurobiological measures, and medical records are collected at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 3- and 12-month follow-ups. The trial aims to enroll 160 patients and will assess short- and long-term effectiveness.
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
January 1, 2023
Rajanikant Panda, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Andrea Piarulli et al.
15 citations
During hypnosis, brain connectivity changes in ways that suggest more efficient cognitive processing and less mind-wandering. In nine healthy participants, hypnosis increased delta-wave connections between frontal brain regions and between frontal and parietal regions. It decreased alpha and beta-2 connections among frontal, parietal, and midline areas. Network analysis showed greater segregation of short-range connections in delta and alpha bands and greater integration of long-range connections in beta-2 bands. Frontal and right parietal electrodes became central hubs. These altered dynamics may reflect a modified balance between internal and external awareness networks.
The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis
January 1, 2024
Mélanie Louras, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Rajanikant Panda et al.
8 citations
Combining virtual reality with mind-body therapies such as meditation, mindfulness, relaxation, and hypnosis can reduce pain in both healthy volunteers and patients. A scoping review of 43 studies found that the combination is feasible, well-tolerated, and potentially useful for decreasing pain, and also improves anxiety, mood, and relaxation. However, insufficient research and a lack of multidimensional studies limit full understanding of their potential. More randomized controlled trials with usability evaluations are needed to incorporate these approaches into routine clinical practice.
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine
March 5, 2025
Gaëtan Collignon, Aminata Bicego, Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville et al.
2 citations
A 68-year-old man with chronic pain from an open Spina Bifida at L4-L5 used auto-induced cognitive trance (AICT) to manage his condition. After four days of training, pain intensity, anxiety, and depression slightly decreased; most attitudes and beliefs improved; the mental component of quality of life improved while the physical component decreased, and the patient reported his overall health had worsened. Qualitative analysis of his diary over two months revealed themes including trance characteristics, pain location, difficulties with practice, and medical history. The findings suggest AICT may alter subjective pain experience, but its effects on physical health and global well-being were mixed.
Médecine Intensive Réanimation
July 30, 2020
Floriane Rousseaux, Aminata Bicego, Christophe Malengreaux et al.
2 citations
Hypnosis can increase comfort for patients in intensive care by significantly reducing pain and anxiety. Neuroimaging shows altered brain activation and functional connectivity in networks related to internal and external awareness and sensory perceptions such as pain. Hypnotic techniques may help improve respiratory weaning conditions for intubated and ventilated patients. Although some emerging studies investigate effective use of hypnosis in intensive care, controlled and randomized trials are still needed to draw conclusions about precise benefits.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
January 1, 2018
Rajanikant Panda, Olivia Gosseries, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse et al.
2 citations
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