By scanning the brains of subjects while they were hypnotized, researchers at the School of Medicine were able to see the neural changes associated with hypnosis.

Your eyelids are getting heavy, your arms are going limp and you feel like you’re floating through space. The power of hypnosis to alter your mind and body like this is all thanks to changes in a few specific areas of the brain, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered.

The scientists scanned the brains of 57 people during guided hypnosis sessions similar to those that might be used clinically to treat anxiety, pain or trauma. Distinct sections of the brain have altered activity and connectivity while someone is hypnotized, they report in a study published online July 28 in Cerebral Cortex.

“Now that we know which brain regions are involved, we may be able to use this knowledge to alter someone’s capacity to be hypnotized or the effectiveness of hypnosis for problems like pain control,” said the study’s senior author, David Spiegel, MD, professor and associate chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

Read more on the Stanford University School of Medicine website.

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Christophe Courtin

Christophe Courtin

Christophe is a hypnotherapist at Folkestone Hypnotherapy, specialising in stress, anxiety, and trauma relief. With a personal understanding of ADHD, he also works with neurodivergent individuals, offering tailored support to meet their unique needs. Based in Folkestone, Kent, Christophe works both face-to-face and online via Zoom, also helping clients overcome a range of challenges including phobias, smoking cessation, chronic pain, motivation, and low self-esteem. Whether you're seeking relief from anxiety or simply want to unlock your full potential, Christophe is here to guide you on your journey to well-being.