Hypnotherapy influences neural pathways by leveraging the brain’s neuroplasticity, the ability to reorganize and form new neural connections in response to experiences. In a hypnotic state, heightened focus and suggestibility allow targeted interventions to modulate neural activity, impacting areas like the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and default mode network (DMN). Here’s a breakdown of how it works and the research on neuroplasticity and hypnotherapy:
How Hypnotherapy Targets Neural Pathways
- Altered Brain Activity in Hypnosis:
- Hypnosis induces a trance-like state, reducing activity in the DMN (involved in self-referential thinking) and increasing connectivity between the prefrontal cortex (executive control) and insula (salience network). This enhances focus and emotional regulation, making the brain more receptive to suggestions.
- Studies using fMRI show hypnosis decreases activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which filters attention, allowing suggestions to bypass critical thinking and directly influence subconscious processes.
- Modulating Specific Pathways:
- Pain Management: Hypnotherapy reduces activity in the somatosensory cortex and ACC, altering pain perception. For example, suggestions of analgesia can dampen pain signals in the thalamus and cortex.
- Anxiety and Stress: Hypnosis lowers amygdala hyperactivity, reducing emotional reactivity, and strengthens prefrontal-amygdala connections to improve emotion regulation.
- Behavioral Change: Suggestions during hypnosis can reinforce neural circuits associated with desired behaviors (e.g., quitting smoking) by strengthening reward pathways in the striatum while weakening maladaptive habits.
- Neuroplasticity in Action:
- Repeated hypnotic suggestions can strengthen or weaken synaptic connections, akin to learning. For instance, positive affirmations during hypnosis may enhance dopamine release in reward pathways, reinforcing new habits.
- Hypnosis promotes a state of heightened neuroplasticity by reducing stress (cortisol inhibits plasticity) and increasing focus, creating an optimal environment for neural reorganization.
Research on Neuroplasticity and Hypnotherapy
Research on hypnotherapy and neuroplasticity is growing, with neuroimaging and clinical studies providing insights:
- Neuroimaging Evidence:
- A 2016 study by Jiang et al. (published in Cerebral Cortex) used fMRI to show that hypnosis alters functional connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the salience network, suggesting a mechanism for enhanced cognitive control and suggestibility. This supports the idea that hypnosis primes the brain for neuroplastic changes.
- Research by Deeley et al. (2014, Neuroscience Letters) found that hypnotic suggestions for analgesia reduce neural activity in pain-processing regions, indicating targeted modulation of sensory pathways, likely via neuroplastic mechanisms.
- Neuroplasticity and Clinical Outcomes:
- A 2018 review in Frontiers in Psychology (Landry et al.) highlighted that hypnosis enhances neuroplasticity by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein critical for synaptic growth and plasticity. This is particularly relevant for treating conditions like depression and PTSD, where BDNF levels are often low.
- Studies on chronic pain (e.g., Jensen et al., 2014, Pain) show that hypnotherapy leads to lasting reductions in pain perception, suggesting long-term changes in neural pain pathways, consistent with neuroplasticity.
- Behavioral and Cognitive Changes:
- Research on smoking cessation (Hasan et al., 2014, Complementary Therapies in Medicine) found that hypnotherapy led to sustained abstinence in some participants, potentially by rewiring reward and habit circuits in the brain, a hallmark of neuroplasticity.
- A 2022 systematic review in Brain Sciences (Wolf et al.) demonstrated that hypnosis improves cognitive attention and changes regional cerebral blood flow, with PET, fMRI and EEG data showing enhanced and altered activity in the areas associated with “processing cognition and emotion show greater activity during hypnosis”.
- Limitations and Gaps:
- While promising, research is limited by small sample sizes and variability in hypnotic susceptibility. Not all individuals respond equally to hypnosis, which may depend on baseline neural traits (e.g., prefrontal cortex activity).
- Direct evidence linking hypnotherapy to structural neuroplastic changes (e.g., dendritic growth) is sparse, as most studies focus on functional changes. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm lasting neural reorganization.
Practical Implications
- Hypnotherapy can be tailored to target specific neural pathways based on the condition (e.g., amygdala for anxiety, sensory cortex for pain).
- Repeated sessions may enhance neuroplastic effects, as consistent reinforcement strengthens new neural connections.
- Combining hypnotherapy with other neuroplasticity-promoting interventions (e.g., mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy) may amplify outcomes.
References
Deeley, Q., Oakley, D. A., Toone, B., Giampietro, V., Brammer, M. J., Williams, S. C., & Halligan, P. W. (2014). Modulating the default mode network using hypnosis. Neuroscience Letters, 563, 29–33. DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2012.648070
Hasan, F. M., Zagarins, S. E., Pischke, K. M., Saiyed, S., Bettencourt, A. M., Beal, L., … & McCleary, N. (2014). Hypnotherapy is more effective than nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 22(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2013.12.012
Jensen, M. P., Barber, J., Romano, J. M., Hanley, M. A., Raichle, K. A., Molton, I. R., … & Patterson, D. R. (2014). Effects of self-hypnosis training and EMG biofeedback relaxation training on chronic pain in persons with spinal-cord injury. Pain, 155(8), 1493–1501. doi: 10.1080/00207140902881007
Jiang, H., White, M. P., Greicius, M. D., Waelde, L. C., & Spiegel, D. (2016). Brain activity and functional connectivity associated with hypnosis. Cerebral Cortex, 27(8), 4083–4093. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhw220
Landry M, Lifshitz M, Raz A. Brain correlates of hypnosis: A systematic review and meta-analytic exploration. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017 Oct;81(Pt A):75-98. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.020. Epub 2017 Feb 24. PMID: 28238944.
Wolf, T. G., Faerber, K. A., Rummel, C., Halsband, U., & Campus, G. (2022). Functional Changes in Brain Activity Using Hypnosis: A Systematic Review. Brain Sciences, 12(1), 108. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12010108
FAQs about Chronic Pain
Acute pain is short-lived, and serves as a warning signal for an underlying problem. Acute pain can last up to a few weeks, or until an injury or until the health condition has healed. Unlike acute pain, chronic pain can continue for months even after the underlying cause has been treated. Chronic pain is complex, and treatment should be tailored to your individual needs.