Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior
February 1, 2013
Etzel Cardeña, Peter Jönsson, Devin B Terhune et al.
151 citations
After a hypnotic induction, people who are highly or moderately hypnotizable often report spontaneous changes in consciousness, but few studies have controlled for the demands of specific suggestions or examined the brain activity underlying these experiences. In a neurophenomenological study of 37 individuals with high, medium, and low hypnotizability, participants reported their depth and spontaneous experiences at baseline, after induction, and after rest periods, while EEG measured brain activity. Perceived hypnotic depth increased substantially after induction, especially among highly and moderately hypnotizable individuals, but remained almost unchanged among those low in hypnotizability.
The American journal of clinical hypnosis
October 1, 2016
Devin B Terhune, Etzel Cardeña
53 citations
Inductions are widely considered the starting point of hypnosis, yet their actual role is poorly understood and often oversimplified. Drawing on research into suggestibility, spontaneous experience, brain activity, and cognition, this article argues that the value of inductions is more nuanced and uncertain than commonly assumed. Some components of standard inductions clearly boost suggestibility, while others show no clear benefit. The effect of inductions on suggestibility varies depending on the type of suggestion and how it is measured, and the reasons for this variability remain unknown. Examining these effects through the lens of individual differences in high hypnotic suggestibility and componential models may open new research directions. The article advocates for practical, theory-driven optimization of inductions.
PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
December 1, 2023
Simon G D Ruffell, Max Crosland-Wood, Rob Palmer et al.
37 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic plant brew from the Amazon made from Banisteriopsis caapi vine and a DMT-containing plant like Psychotria viridis, has attracted growing interest since the year 2000. This review covers its history, pharmacology, and the phenomenological responses it produces. Anecdotal reports range from positive to accounts of physical and psychological harm. The authors discuss effects on personality and mental health, and examine phenomenological analyses of the experience. They conclude that ayahuasca is a promising psychedelic agent deserving more empirical research into its neurochemical mechanisms and potential therapeutic use.
Biological psychiatry global open science
July 1, 2025
Benjamin Brake, Lillian Wieder, Natasha Hughes et al.
5 citations
Dissociative states—disruptions in awareness and perception—occur across many psychiatric conditions and can be modeled in the lab. A meta-analysis of 123 studies (6,692 individuals) measured state dissociation using a standardized scale. At baseline, the largest effects were in dissociative and complex subtypes of posttraumatic stress disorder. In controlled experiments, mirror gazing and several drugs, particularly ketamine and cannabis, induced dissociation as high as or higher than that seen in PTSD. Results were highly variable across studies but not explained by methodological differences. These findings validate experimental methods for inducing dissociation and inform monitoring of adverse events in drug-based interventions.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
July 1, 2018
Clément E Lemercier, Devin B Terhune
Psychedelics and hypnosis share overlapping applications and neurophenomenological features in treating psychopathologies, yet the potential of suggestion to shape psychedelic experiences for better therapeutic outcomes has been underexplored. This review compares the phenomenological and neurophysiological similarities and differences between psychedelic states and hypnosis, drawing on recent research and early studies of their combined use. Commonalities and differences suggest that coupling the two could enhance psychotherapy. The authors propose research paths for integrating hypnosis at different stages of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy—preparation, acute phase, and follow-up—to guide and integrate experiences. Harnessing suggestion may increase positive responses, including mystical-type experiences, thereby boosting therapeutic efficacy.