BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The current pharmacological management of depression remains limited. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in combination with fluoxetine as an intervention for major depressive disorder (MDD). SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTIONS: A total of 80 patients with MDD (DSM-IV) were randomized to two groups: VA group received verum acupuncture, 10 mg/day fluoxetine and placebo; SA group received sham acupuncture and 20-30 mg/day fluoxetine. Acupuncture was applied 5 times a week over a period of 6 weeks. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, sham-controlled trial was conducted in Dehong Prefecture Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. OUTCOME MEASURES: All subjects were assessed in a double-blind fashion at four time points (i.e., baseline, the end of the second, fourth, and sixth week of treatment. The primary outcome measure was the therapeutic response rate based on the rate of total score change in the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). Anxious symptoms, antidepressant side-effects, and acupuncture adverse effects were also measured additionally. RESULTS: At the end of the treatment period, the therapeutic response rates were not statistically significant between groups (80.0% for the VA group and 77.5% for the SA group, respectively). No statistical significance was found between the 2 groups in the rate of HRSD score change (z = 1.80, p = 0.07), but patients in the VA group showed better improvement than the SA group in symptoms of anxiety and side-effects of antidepressant (z = 2.60, p = 0.01 and z = 23.60, p < 0.001, respectively). The overall rate of adverse events due to acupuncture was 8.75%. CONCLUSIONS: Additionally applied standardized acupuncture to low-dose fluoxetine for depression is as effective as a recommended dose of fluoxetine treatment. Depressive patients with severe anxious symptoms and/or intolerable side-effects of antidepressants can benefit from it.

J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Aug;15(8):837-44. Zhang WJ, Yang XB, Zhong BL. Beijing MeiTan General Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

by Mark Gorkin, LICSW

One Man's Restless Journey into Creative and Cohesive Space-Time

Recently, an Internet colleague asked me to share how my mind works when it's in creative gear. The question has motivated this essay: an examination of how a second colleague's brainstorming request initially stirred those creative juices and, then, how a sci-fi cinema classic and a current mega-movie really got the electricity flowing...or jolted me over the creative edge. (I'll let you decide.)

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Full Title: Unique changes found on the Qi Gong (Chi Gong) Master's and patient's body during Qi Gong treatment; their relationships to certain meridians & acupuncture points and the re-creation of therapeutic Qi Gong states by children & adults

Changes taking place in both Qi Gong Masters and their patients during Qi Gong treatment were evaluated using the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test. During the Qi Gong state, on the Qi-Gong Master's body, as well as the body of the patient being treated, acupuncture points CV5 (Shi Men) and CV6 (Qi Hai)-- located below the umbilicus-- show changes from +4 in the pre-Qi Gong state to between -3 and -4 during the Qi Gong state. Before and after the Qi Gong, there is a normal +4 response to the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test at these acupuncture points. Similar changes were also observed on acupuncture points CV17 (Shan Zhong), CV 22 (Tian Tu), Yin Tang (at an area just between the eyebrows: the pituitary gland representation area, colloquially known as the "third eye") and GV20(Bai Hui), the entire pericardium meridian & triple burner meridian, their acupuncture points, the adrenal glands, testes, ovaries and perineum, as well as along the entire spinal vertebrae, particularly on and above the 12th thoracic vertebra, medulla oblongata, pons, and the intestinal representation areas of the brain located just above and behind the upper ear. Using these findings as criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of reaching the Qi Gong state, we were able to reproduce during the experimental trials similar changes in ourselves and the patient being treated with therapeutic effects comparable to those of the Qi Gong Master. Beneficial effects of external Qi Gong treatment given by a Qi Gong practitioner 1 to 3 times for 10-20 seconds each (although most Qi Gong masters take 3-20 minutes per treatment) often resulted in improvement of circulation and lowering of high blood pressure, as well as relaxation of spastic muscles, relief of pain, and enhanced general well-being, all of which resemble acupuncture effects. In order to reproduce the same procedure with others, we selected 4 children ranging between 8 and 11 years of age who had no knowledge of Qi Gong or Oriental medicine. One of these four children, the 8 year old, was able to consistently reach the same Qi Gong state after less than a half day and another child, 11, after less than 2 days. Within a week, the other two were sometimes able to reproduce the Qi Gong state but not always. Using the Qi Gong state thus obtained, it was found that this type of Qi Gong energy is directed to specific directions from the hand and can even penetrate wooden or metal doors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acupunct Electrother Res. 1989;14(1):61-89. Omura Y, Lin TL, Debreceni L, Losco BM, Freed S, Muteki T, Lin CH. Heart Disease Research Foundation, New York, NY.

Central to psychotic disorders, delusions are associated with disability and often respond inadequately to pharmacotherapy. Cognitive-behavioral treatments have been developed over the last 20 years that successfully address delusions. However, meta-analyses suggest only a modest improvement in psychotic symptoms. Because delusions share considerable overlap with anxiety, adapting principles and techniques that have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of anxiety disorders might improve the impact of cognitive-behavioral treatment of delusions. We report a case illustrating a cognitive-behavioral approach to delusions with an emphasis on mental imagery techniques. A 25-year-old male diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia whose clinical presentation was dominated by paranoid delusions received 6 months of treatment. At the end of the follow-up period, the patient's delusions were minimal and his negative symptoms had significantly improved. Mental imagery may be an important treatment tool for delusions.

J Clin Psychol. 2009 Aug;65(8):791-802. Serruya G, Grant P. School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

by Tim Brunson, PhD

One of the biggest obstacles to becoming a master presenter is those butterflies that seem to be fluttering around in your stomach before you start to speak. Although you are an expert in your subject, your fears create a fight/flight reaction. Your hands become cold, your vital organs stop functioning properly, and a majority of your brain's blood flow shifts to the ancient reactive defensive areas that reside just above your brain stem. Your mind and body begin shutting down. You are not your best. However, you can speak to small and large audiences in total comfort and excitement if you only understand what is really going on.

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by Tim Brunson, PhD

For years I have studied experts in a wide range of endeavors, included sports, science, and the arts, as well as professional trainers. There are three attributes that each of them share. They have developed an exceptional ability to install new information, to increase the depth of their knowledge, and have the ability to trigger superior performance with ease. These three steps apply both to the trainer's skills as well as to how to accelerate the student's progress.

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by Tim Brunson, PhD

Whether part of our formal education, professional development, or the improvement of skills related to a hobby, in order to more efficiently acquire information we seldom focus on the need to improve our learning skill. Yes, we focus on content and pretty much ignore the need to improve our learning processes. However, our ability to master the tasks related to an endeavor depends almost entirely on our improving our ability to acquire knowledge.

Learning is a process skill that was established first at the infant and young child period of our lives. Our methods were habituated at a time when our immature brains were rapidly developing. Some of the ways that we encoded procedural and declarative memories are as valid in our adult life as they were in those early years. Nevertheless, as a mature human with several decades of knowledge acquisition under our hats, we now have numerous additional learning advantages that are ignored should we continue to use methods that were appropriate prior to our brain fully developing.

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According to DSM-IV, personality disorder constitutes a class only when personality traits are inflexible and maladaptive and cause either significant functional impairment or subjective distress. Classical treatment of choice for personality disorders has been psychotherapy and/or psychopharmacotherapy. Our study is to determine if subjects with antisocial personality disorders will benefit from quantitative EEG (qEEG) guided neurofeedback treatment. Thirteen subjects (9 male, 4 female) ranged in age from 19 to 48 years. All the subjects were free of medications and illicit drugs. We excluded subjects with other mental disorders by clinical assessment. Psychotherapy or psychopharmacotherapy or any other treatment model was not introduced to any of the subjects during or after neurofeedback treatment. For the subject who did not respond to neurofeedback, training was applied with 38 sessions of LORETA neurofeedback training without success. Evaluation measures included qEEG analysis with Nx Link data base, MMPI, T.O.V.A tests and SA-45 questionaries at baseline, and at the end of neurofeedback treatment. Lexicor qEEG signals were sampled at 128 Hz with 30 minutes-neurofeedback sessions completed between 80-120 sessions depending on the case, by Biolex neurofeedback system. At baseline and after every 20 sessions, patients were recorded with webcam during the interview. Twelve out of 13 subjects who received 80-120 sessions of neurofeedback training showed significant improvement based on SA-45 questionaries, MMPI, T.O.V.A. and qEEG/Nx Link data base (Neurometric analysis) results, and interviewing by parent/family members. Neurofeedback can change the view of psychiatrists and psychologists in the future regarding the treatment of personality disorders. This study provides the first evidence for positive effects of neurofeedback treatment in antisocial personality disorders. Further study with controls is warranted.

Clin EEG Neurosci. 2009 Jan;40(1):5-10. Surmeli T, Ertem A. Living Health Center for Research and Education, Gazeteciler Mah. Saglam Fikir Sokak. No: 17 Esentepe, Sisli, Istanbul 34387, Turkey. neuropsychiatry@yahoo.com

Full Title: The effect of group music therapy on quality of life for participants living with a severe and enduring mental illness

A 10-week group music therapy project was designed to determine whether music therapy influenced quality of life and social anxiety for people with a severe and enduring mental illness living in the community. Ten one-hour weekly sessions including song singing, song writing and improvisation, culminated in each group recording original song/s in a professional studio. The principal outcome measure was the WHOQOLBREF Quality of Life (QoL) Scale; other instruments used were the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Qualitative data were gathered through focus group interviews and an analysis of lyric themes. Statistically significant improvement was found on five items of the QoL Scale. There were no changes on the BSI indicating that QoL improvement was not mediated by symptomatic change. Themes from the focus groups were: music therapy gave joy and pleasure, working as a team was beneficial, participants were pleasantly surprised at their creativity, and they took pride in their song. An analysis of song lyrics resulted in 6 themes: a concern for the world, peace and the environment; living with mental illness is difficult; coping with mental illness requires strength; religion and spirituality are sources of support; living in the present is healing; and working as a team is enjoyable.

J Music Ther. 2009 Summer;46(2):90-104. Grocke D, Bloch S, Castle D. The University of Melbourne, St Vincent's Hospital.

Full Title: Mediators of a brief hypnosis intervention to control side effects in breast surgery patients: Response expectancies and emotional distress.

Objective: The present study was designed to test the hypotheses that response expectancies and emotional distress mediate the effects of an empirically validated presurgical hypnosis intervention on postsurgical side effects (i.e., pain, nausea, and fatigue). Method: Women (n = 200) undergoing breast-conserving surgery (mean age = 48.50 years; 63% White, 15% Hispanic, 13% African American, and 9% other) were randomized to a hypnosis or to an attention control group. Prior to surgery, patients completed assessments of hypothesized mediators (response expectancies and emotional distress), and following surgery, patients completed assessments of outcome variables (pain, nausea, and fatigue). Results: Structural equation modeling revealed the following: (a) Hypnotic effects on postsurgical pain were partially mediated by pain expectancy (p < .0001) but not by distress (p = .12); (b) hypnotic effects on postsurgical nausea were partially mediated by presurgical distress (p = .02) but not by nausea expectancy (p = .10); and (c) hypnotic effects on postsurgical fatigue were partially mediated by both fatigue expectancy (p = .0001) and presurgical distress (p = .02). Conclusions: The results demonstrate the mediational roles of response expectancies and emotional distress in clinical benefits associated with a hypnotic intervention for breast cancer surgical patients. More broadly, the results improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for hypnotic phenomena and suggest that future hypnotic interventions target patient expectancies and distress to improve postsurgical recovery. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Feb;78(1):80-8. Montgomery GH, Hallquist MN, Schnur JB, David D, Silverstein JH, Bovbjerg DH. Integrative Behavioral Medicine Program.

by Joyce-Anne Locking

How easy it is for us to get too wrapped up in the bustle of everyday life, so much so we sometimes lose track of thought. If possible, it would be nice to take time to sit and gaze out the window and let the day unfold in natural delight. Without the stress and scurry, life is truly a blessing. Repeat after me: there is no present like the present moment! If we could make up our minds like we make up a room or make up a lunch, we could set ourselves straight on a daily basis.

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There is an increasing trend in society to look beyond conventional medicine to find answers to problems in health. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the most popular alternative, complementary therapies worldwide. It is becoming a popular alternative in otorhinolaryngology where its use in the treatment of sinusitis, tinnitus, deafness and Meniere's disease is growing. Despite the general awareness of TCM, the literature relating specifically to otorhinolaryngology is relatively scarce. In this review, we have traced the origin and development of otorhinolaryngology with respect to TCM and have provided a few interesting insights into otorhinolaryngology, as it used to be practised. Archaeological sources have shown that diseases affecting the ear, nose and throat were of medical concern as early as the 18th century BC. The first practising otorhinolaryngologist can be traced back to the 5th century BC. Acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal therapy and massage were amongst his treatments. Otorhinolaryngology was recognised as a major specialty when formal medical education began in the 7th century AD. Therapeutic measures since then expanded to include exercise, food therapy and surgery. References to using oesophageal speech as a substitute voice generator, the use of copper wire to excise nasal polyps, procedures for removal of sharp foreign bodies in the oropharynx, repair of lacerated trachea and treatment of cancer of lips can be found in historical notes. In conclusion, from its primitive roots, TCM has developed into a distinct branch of health care system in China today that works alongside Western medicine.

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2009 Sep;266(9):1353-9. Epub 2009 Jul 14. Yap L, Pothula VB, Warner J, Akhtar S, Yates E. Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan, UK. leesien@tiscali.co.uk

Lauren Archer offers mind-body hypnotherapy and coaching, using an integrative approach to positive achievement and wellness, serving the greater Seattle area, especially Seattle's Eastside. She teaches weight loss and wellness classes at Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland.

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Clark Hull's (1933) research on dissociation was based on a 'straw man' formulation of dissociation; he claimed that dissociation requires noninterference. Hull completely ignored the then-current paradigm of dissociation--dissociation as automatism--and claimed that he had refuted the validity of the phenomenon of dissociation. Hull's view of dissociation held sway in the hypnosis field for 60 years. This essay seeks to retrieve the Janetian paradigm of dissociation as automatism. Automatisms are unexpected, uninitiated, involuntary behaviors that just 'happen.' The author argues that human sensitivity to the experience of involuntariness (a) is quite important, (b) was selected by evolution, and (c) is central to both hypnotic responses and dissociative symptoms. This editorial urges the hypnosis field and the dissociation field to jointly undertake a renewed investigation of the experience of involuntariness and to follow recent neuroimaging studies which indicate that the parietal cortex underlies the experience of involuntariness.

J Trauma Dissociation. 2010;11(1):1-18. Dell PF.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article was to review the literature on the use of chiropractic for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: A literature search was conducted on 4 electronic databases (Medline, Index to Chiropractic Literature, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Allied and Complementary Medicine Database) for clinical research pertaining to chiropractic treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. Retrieved articles were hand searched for relevant references. Inclusion criteria consisted of any clinical study design (including case reports) using chiropractic care on patients with lumbar spinal stenosis published in English in the past 25 years. RESULTS: Six articles on a total of 70 patients met the inclusion criteria for the review. These articles included 4 case studies, a case series, and an observational cohort study. Treatments included spinal manipulation and, most often, flexion-distraction manipulation. Numerous other interventions including exercise, activity of daily living modifications, and various passive care modalities were selectively used in the included studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is a paucity of evidence available with respect to chiropractic treatment of spinal stenosis. The limited evidence that is available points toward chiropractic care being potentially beneficial in the treatment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis, but further clinical investigations are necessary.

J Chiropr Med. 2009 Jun;8(2):77-85. Stuber K, Sajko S, Kristmanson K. Private practice of chiropractic, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

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by Coach Cary Bayer

Restaurants, shoe stores, athletic stores, bookstores, you name it...these days it's hard not to find an ad for a "Buy one, get one free" offer. I can hardly walk down an aisle in my local Public supermarket in south Florida without seeing the word "FREE" in huge bold letters, while the "Buy one, get one..." piece of copy is in smaller font and without bold face. Oh, sure, you don't see it in the ads for medical practices, auto dealers, and healers. It's understandable why businesses that sell big-ticket items like cars aren't going to give away something as expensive as a $20,000 item just for purchasing another one. And it's understandable why MDs, uncomfortable about advertising in the first place, aren't running such specials. But massage therapists, hypnotherapists, chiropractors? There's no really good reason why they're not doing it.

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Full Title: Mind-body complementary alternative medicine use and quality of life in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND:: Mind-body complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities (e.g., relaxation or meditation) for symptom management have not been well studied in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The purposes of this study were to: 1) determine the prevalence of 5 types of mind-body CAM use, and consideration of use for symptom management; 2) assess characteristics associated with regular mind-body CAM use; and 3) examine whether regular and/or considered mind-body CAM use are associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS:: Sixty-seven adolescents with IBD ages 12-19 recruited from a children's hospital completed a questionnaire on CAM use and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Logistic regression models were estimated for regular and considered CAM use. RESULTS:: Participants mean (SD) age was 15.5 (2.1) years; 37 (55%) were female; 53 (79%) were white; and 20 (30%) had moderate disease severity. Adolescents used prayer (62%), relaxation (40%), and imagery (21%) once/day to once/week for symptom management. In multivariate analyses, females were more likely to use relaxation (odds ratio [OR] = 4.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.25-15.29, c statistic = 0.73). Younger adolescents were more likely to regularly use (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.42-0.95, c statistic = 0.72) or consider using (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.59-1.00, c statistic = 0.64) meditation. Adolescents with more severe disease (OR = 4.17, 95% CI = 1.07-16.29, c statistic = 0.83) were more willing to consider using relaxation in the future. Adolescents with worse HRQOL were more willing to consider using prayer and meditation for future symptom management (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:: Many adolescents with IBD either currently use or would consider using mind-body CAM for symptom management. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2009.

Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2009 Aug 24. Cotton S, Humenay Roberts Y, Tsevat J, Britto MT, Succop P, McGrady ME, Yi MS. Department of Family Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

By Dr. Alexander R. Lees

Another title for this article could have been Guided Imagery Gone Wrong. Approximately 50% of the function of our brain is devoted to visualization. Interestingly, in those days when I presented workshops on guided imagery, it wasn't unusual for some participants to lament on their inability to make pictures in their heads.

Sometimes, their speech patterns indicated they were doing so, but at the same time, not really conscious of it. For example, I would offer everyday examples of visually accessing information, and the spontaneous response might be "Oh, I see what you mean," or "Can you show me more examples?"

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Qi-gong relaxation exercise was used for treatment of pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH). Patients exercised 3 times a day until labor. In this study, there were two groups with 60 cases of PIH who had delivered in each group, they were treated by Qi-gong for one group and by medicine for another used as control. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to PIH combined scores showed effective for 54 cases (90.0%) in Qi-gong group and 33 cases (55.0%) for the control group (P less than 0.01). Meconium stain in amniotic fluid was present in 12 cases (20.0%) in Qi-gong group and 29 cases (48.3%) in the control group (P less than 0.05). The incidence of abnormal hematocrit (greater than 35%) before treatment was 52.4% and decreased to 23.8% (P less than 0.05) in Qi-gong, while in the control group was 35.7% before treatment and 45.2% after treatment (P greater than 0.05). The mean value of blood E2 by RIA showed increased from 22.97 +/- 13.16 micrograms/ml to 33.74 +/- 34.01 micrograms/ml after Qi-gong treatment in 29 cases. The microscopical observation of finger nail capillaries showed various degrees of improvement of microcirculation after Qi-gong exercise for 17 cases and after a course of Qi-gong treatment for 11 cases in Qi-gong group. While for the control group, there was no changes after sit-still for some time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1989 Jan;9(1):16-8, 4-5. Zhou MR, Lian MR.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess repeated needle acupuncture in the treatment of postoperative pain and nausea after visceral surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients undergoing visceral surgery (hysterectomy, cholecystectomy) were randomly assigned to group A (three sessions of needle acupuncture, n=21), group M (3x1000 mg metamizole, n=20), or group K (control, n=25). All patients received patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) using piritramide. To adjust for nonspecific effects due to physician-patient interaction during acupuncture sessions in group A, patients in groups M and K also received three standardized visits. Primary outcome parameters were defined as pain intensity, analgesic consumption, and frequency of nausea and vomiting in a period up to the morning of the second postoperative day. RESULTS: Patients in group A reported significant less pain, nausea, and vomiting compared to patients in group K. Mean cumulative piritramide consumption was significantly lower in group A (25.0 mg) than in group M (34.5 mg) and group K (55.2 mg). CONCLUSION: Repeated needle acupuncture may be effective in postoperative pain relief and the treatment of nausea and vomiting in the postoperative period. These effects seem not to be due solely to interaction between the acupuncturist and the patient.

Schmerz. 2009 Aug;23(4):370-6. Grube T, Uhlemann C, Weiss T, Meissner W. Kreiskrankenhaus Greiz, GmbH, Wichmannstrasse 12, 07973, Greiz, Deutschland. t.grube@hospital-greiz.de

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Over the past several decades I have studied numerous people who have achieved mastery in one or more physical or mental skills. Among them were athletes, musicians, scholars, scientists, and even spiritual adepts. I even included in this austere group those who have overcome terminal illnesses miraculously by changing their thought processes. While some of them have translated misfortune or even physical deformities into opportunities to develop specific habits, many were average people for whom circumstances led them to focus on allowing greatness to occur.

During my research into the origins of masterful performance, much was learned when looking at extreme cases. This included individuals who were introduced to particular endeavors very early in life, as well as those that pursued specific interests later in life and were able to focus during thousands of hours of practice. However, some of the most interesting case studies involved the amazing abilities of prodigious savants such as Kim Peek (mnemonist, speed reader, and calculator), Daniel Tammet (mathematical synesthesia, language absorption, and memory), and Alonzo Clemmons (clay sculptor). Another phenomena that I became interested in were innovations in neuroplasticity, which shows the brain's ability to reorganize, and the seemingly related concept regarding innovations in stroke recovery – especially the work of Edward Taub, PhD, at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

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Full Title: Differentiating a network of executive attention: LORETA neurofeedback in anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices

INTRODUCTION: This study examines the differential effects of space-specific neuro-operant learning, utilizing low-resolution electromagnetic tomographic (LORETA) neurofeedback in three regions of training (ROTs), namely, the anterior cingulate gyrus (AC) and right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (RPFC and LPFC respectively). METHODS: This study was conducted with 14 nonclinical students with a mean age of 22. We utilized electrophysiological measurements and subtests of the WAIS-III for premeasures and postmeasures. RESULTS: The data indicate that the AC shares a significant association with the RPFC and LPFC; however, each of the ROTs exhibits different cortical effects in all frequencies when trained exclusively. DISCUSSION: LORETA neurofeedback (LNFB) appears to enhance the functioning and strengthening of networks of cortical units physiologically related to each ROT; moreover, significant changes are mapped for each frequency domain, showing the associations within this possible attentional network.

Int J Neurosci. 2009;119(3):404-41. Cannon R, Congedo M, Lubar J, Hutchens T. Brain Research and Neuropsychology Laboratory Department of Psychology, Suite 312 Austin Peay Bldg, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA. rcannon2@utk.edu

Hypnotizability is a cognitive multidimensional trait that involves peculiar imagery characteristics. Subjects with high- (Highs) and low (Lows)-susceptibilities to hypnosis have shown different levels of skill at visual and somesthetic-guided imageries performed during upright stance. The aim of this experiment is to study the modulation of the EEG alpha and theta band amplitude during guided visual and somesthetic imageries in Highs and Lows, as these rhythms are responsive to the cognitive activities involved in mental imagery. Our results show that, at variance with standing subjects, subjects in both groups in a semi-reclined position report higher vividness and lower effort for visual than for somesthetic imagery. EEG patterns however are different between the two groups. Highs exhibit a more widespread alpha desynchronization and slightly different EEG patterns during visual and somesthetic imageries, while Lows show segregated alpha- and theta-desynchronization, without any difference between the tasks. Our results indicate that different, hypnotizability-related cognitive strategies, that are revealed by differences in EEG modulation, are responsible for the similar subjective experience associated with visual and somesthetic imageries in Highs and Lows. In addition, in both groups higher order mental representation of different sensory modalities might be subserved by a unique integrated neural network. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurosci Lett. 2009 Dec 23. Cavallaro FI, Cacace I, Del Testa M, Andre P, Carli G, De Pascalis V, Rocchi R, Santarcangelo EL. Department of Physiology, University of Siena, Italy.

by Daniel J. Benor, M.D.

Experiments have shown that the functions of analytical, logical, intellectual thinking and expression of language are carried out largely in the brain's left hemisphere. The right hemisphere performs intuitive, artistic, symbolic and analogical thinking functions.

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This study aims at determining the effectiveness of music therapy in a hospice setting. We employed the salivary cortisol level, which is widely used to measure stress level, as an objective and physical indicator and the Mood Inventory, which measures mood change, as the subjective and psychological indicators. Though many preceding studies have demonstrated that listening to music lowers cortisol levels and reduces stress, no study seems to have included hospice patients. This study measured, with the consent of 10 hospice inpatients, their salivary cortisol levels. Individual interviews, according to the Mood Inventory, were conducted before and after a small-group session. Since all the participants had terminal cancer, the 40-minute live session of songs of seasons and the participants' requests was given in a mostly passive manner considering their physical strength. Results showed significant lowering of salivary cortisol levels after the therapy session. As for the parameters of mood, refreshment was significantly increased. Though fatigue remained unchanged, anxiety and depression decreased while the score for excitement tended to increase. Thus, it was indicated that music therapy in a hospice setting reduces the stress level of patients and thereby plays a positive role in improving patients' quality of life.

J Music Ther. 2009 Summer;46(2):160-72. Nakayama H, Kikuta F, Takeda H. Sapporo Otani College.

Dr. Kenneth J. Doka is a Professor of Gerontology at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle and Senior Consultant to the Hospice Foundation of America. A prolific author, Dr. Doka has written many books, and he has published over 100 articles and book chapters. Dr. Doka is editor of both Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying and Journeys: A Newsletter to Help in Bereavement.

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by Jevon Dängeli

Wake up; Hypnosis is not about being unconscious!

As a Hypnotherapy trainer I keep being asked questions about Hypnosis which indicate to me that masses of people are still hypnotised by the misconceptions and negative propaganda which they've allowed themselves to be influenced by. Their false ideas about Hypnosis and their impression that only certain people can be hypnotised are evidence of the power of hypnosis and its lasting effects.

Many stage Hypnosis performers along with some misleading cultural and religious doctrines do the Hypnotherapy profession little good. Meanwhile certain doctors, therapists and specialised coaches quietly go about empowering their patients and clients to overcome or manage "incurable" ailments.

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Can suggestion, particularly hypnotic suggestion, influence cognition? Addressing this intriguing question experimentally is on the rise in cognitive research, nowhere more prevalently than in the domain of cognitive control and attention. This may well rest on the intuitive connection between hypnotic suggestion and attention, where the hypnotist controls the subject's attention. Particularly impressive has been the work of Raz and his colleagues demonstrating the modulation and even the complete elimination of classic Stroop color-word interference when subjects are given a posthypnotic suggestion that words are meaningless. Overriding a highly practiced, possibly even automatic response like reading is testament to the attentional control that can be exerted under (post)hypnotic suggestion. What else do we need to know-in the Stroop context and more broadly-to obtain a clear picture of how suggestion can orchestrate attention?

Conscious Cogn. 2009 Dec 5. Macleod CM. Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1.

Full Title: A cross-sectional analysis of clinical outcomes following chiropractic care in veterans with and without post-traumatic stress disorder

This study was a cross-sectional analysis of clinical outcomes for 130 veteran patients with neck or low back complaints completing a course of care within the chiropractic clinic at the VA of Western New York in 2006. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was utilized, comparing baseline and discharge scores for both the neck and low back regions and for those patients with and without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients with PTSD (n = 21) experienced significantly lower levels of score improvement than those without PTSD (n = 119) on self-reported outcome measures of neck and low back disability. These findings, coupled with the theorized relationships between PTSD and chronic pain, suggest that the success of conservative forms of management for veteran patients with musculoskeletal disorders may be limited by the presence of PTSD. Further research is warranted to examine the potential contributions of PTSD on chiropractic clinical outcomes with this unique patient population.

Mil Med. 2009 Jun;174(6):578-83. Dunn AS, Passmore SR, Burke J, Chicoine D. Chiropractic Service, VA of Western New York Healthcare System, 3495 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215, USA.

About one third of patients with epilepsy do not benefit from medical treatment. For these patients electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback is a viable alternative. EEG biofeedback, or neurofeedback, normalizes or enhances EEG activity by means of operant conditioning. While dozens of scientific reports have been published on neurofeedback for seizure disorder, most have been case series with too few subjects to establish efficacy. The purpose of this paper is to meta-analyze existing research on neurofeedback and epilepsy. We analyzed every EEG biofeedback study indexed in MedLine, PsychInfo, and PsychLit databases between 1970 and 2005 on epilepsy that provided seizure frequency change in response to feedback. Sixty-three studies have been published, 10 of which provided enough outcome information to be included in a meta-analysis. All studies consisted of patients whose seizures were not controlled by medical therapies, which is a very important factor to keep in mind when interpreting the results. Nine of 10 studies reinforced sensorimotor rhythms (SMR) while 1 study trained slow cortical potentials (SCP). All studies reported an overall mean decreased seizure incidence following treatment and 64 out of 87 patients (74%) reported fewer weekly seizures in response to EEG biofeedback. Treatment effect was mean log (post/pre) where pre and post represent number of seizures per week prior to treatment and at final evaluation, respectively. Due to prevalence of small groups, Hedges's g was computed for effect size. As sample heterogeneity was possible (Q test, p=.18), random effects were assumed and the effect of intervention was -0.233, SE = 0.057, z = -4.11, p<.001. Based on this meta-analysis, EEG operant conditioning was found to produce a significant reduction on seizure frequency. This finding is especially noteworthy given the patient group, individuals who had been unable to control their seizures with medical treatment.

Clin EEG Neurosci. 2009 Jul;40(3):173-9. Tan G, Thornby J, Hammond DC, Strehl U, Canady B, Arnemann K, Kaiser DA. Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. tan.gabriel@va.gov

by Nelson Abreu

The International Academy of Consciousness is a non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the scientific study of the consciousness beyond the conventional limitations of materialist science. The IAC had its roots in the International Institute of Projectiology, which was founded in 1988 in Brazil. Since 2002, IIPC offices outside of Brazil became IAC – today a truly global organization with broad objectives in education as well as research, having a permanent presence in four continents and having presented in 20 countries around the world.

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Spontaneous EEGs recorded with 12 channels (International 10-20 system) on the scalp were analyzed by statistical brain topographic mapping (t-test and correlation coefficient topographic mappings) to reveal changes of the electrical activity in the brain during Qi Gong state. The control subjects and two groups of masters and beginners in accordance with the time and the skilled degree practising Qi Gong were compared. The changes of EEGs of the Qi Gong masters during the Qi Gong state were clearly different from those recorded during the resting state with closed eyes. The EEG alpha activity occurred predominantly in the anterior half, and occurred silently in the posterior half of the brain during Qi Gong state. The peak frequency of EEG alpha rhythm during Qi Gong state was slower than resting state without practicing Qi Gong. The results of the t-test and correlation coefficient topographic mappings showed this finding quantitatively and statistically significant. The changes in EEG between resting and Qi Gong state for Qi Gong masters appear to be opposite. This findings indicates that Qi Gong state is a special and unusual state and this state is not an inherent state existing in each person. The occurrence of this phenomenon of EEG depends on the duration and the skilled degree of the practising Qi Gong.

Int J Neurosci. 1988 Feb;38(3-4):415-25. Zhang JZ, Li JZ, He QN. Computer Laboratory, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.

Full Title: Traditional needle acupuncture treatment for insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVES: Previous reviews regarding traditional needle acupuncture (TNA) treatment for insomnia were limited to English scientific literature. A comprehensive review including Chinese and English literature has therefore been conducted to examine the efficacy of TNA for insomnia. METHODS: We performed systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TNA as intervention for insomnia against placebo, Western medication, and non-treated controls. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed by the modified Jadad score and the acupuncture procedure was appraised by the STRICTA criteria. RESULTS: Twenty RCTs were identified for detailed analysis. Majority of the RCTs concluded that TNA was significantly more effective than benzodiazepines for treating insomnia, with mean effective rates for acupuncture and benzodiazepines being 91% and 75%, respectively. In two more appropriately conducted trials, TNA appeared to be more efficacious in improving sleep than sleep hygiene counseling and sham acupuncture. Standardized and individualized acupuncture had similar effective rates. Despite these positive outcomes, there were methodological shortcomings in the studies reviewed, including imprecise diagnostic procedure, problems with randomization, blinding issues, and insufficient safety data. Hence, the superior efficacy of TNA over other treatments could not be ascertained. CONCLUSION: Since the majority of evidence regarding TNA for insomnia is based on studies with poor-quality research designs, the data, while somewhat promising, do not allow a clear conclusion on the benefits of TNA for insomnia. Moreover, the results support the need for large scale placebo-controlled double-blinded trials.

Sleep Med. 2009 Aug;10(7):694-704. Epub 2009 Mar 19. Yeung WF, Chung KF, Leung YK, Zhang SP, Law AC. Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Full Title: Power spectral frequency and coherence abnormalities in patients with intractable epilepsy and their usefulness in long-term remediation of seizures using neurofeedback

Medically intractable seizures appear to be highly correlated with focal slow activity (delta or theta). They also correlate highly with decreases in the coherence of theta. Normalization of focal slowing and of decreased theta coherence will probably be the neurofeedback approaches most likely to decrease or eliminate seizures in future cases. Neurofeedback has been used for over 35 years to reduce the incidence and severity of seizures. With power training to decrease theta and increase the sensorimotor rhythm (12-15 Hz), an average of 82% of patients experienced a significant reduction in seizure frequency, and occasional remissions were seen. Recent improvements using QEEG to guide neurofeedback training have made it possible to eliminate seizures in most patients, even those with intractable seizures. Following our previous study in 2005, we report an additional 25 patients so treated. We also report an analysis of the frequency of QEEG abnormalities in this patient group. All of the intractable epileptic patients had one or more slow foci (excessive theta or delta compared with the normal database). One third had a relative deficiency of beta power. One fourth had a deficiency of absolute delta. Eighteen percent had excessive absolute alpha power, 18% had deficient absolute alpha power, 18% percent had excessive absolute beta power, and 18% percent had deficient absolute beta power. Hypocoherence of theta was found in 75%, and decreases in alpha coherence were noted in 42%. Hypocoherence of beta was found in 50%, and hypocoherence of delta was found in 25%. Increases in alpha coherence were noted in 33%. Seventeen percent had no coherence abnormalities. When most of the power and coherence abnormalities were normalized with neurofeedback training, all the patients became seizure-free; 76% no longer required an anticonvulsant for seizure control.

Clin EEG Neurosci. 2008 Oct;39(4):203-5. Walker JE. Neurotherapy Center of Dallas, 12870 Hillcrest, Dallas, Texas 75230, USA. admin@neurotherapydallas.com

by Tim Brunson, PhD

During my training as a professional hypnotherapist and during the many years that led to my instructor status involving Neuro-Linguistic Programming, I constantly heard my teachers espousing the wonders of Dr. Milton H. Erickson. Yes, it was Erickson, who has been called the Father of American Hypnotherapy, who gave us tremendous insights into permissive approaches to hypnosis. However, as the cult of Ericksonian followers emerged, it seems that an entire universe of very effective hypnosis was completely whitewashed from the realm of clinical application. Indeed, many authors and self-styled experts – to include international associations that claim the authority to certify hypnotherapists – fail to recognize the power of relatively rapid and direct approaches to using suggestion and imagination to heal the mind and body.

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by Tim Brunson, PhD

Can we escape who we have become? From the moment of our birth our experiences shape who we are. Starting with the genetic makeup, which we inherit from our parents, the people and events that we encounter control the ever evolving wiring in our brain and our physiological reactions. In turn, should these programs include strong chemical responses, we run the risk that the neurological patterns will lead to strong addictions. In very many ways this programming defines who we have become. However, if the results of this process lead to unhappiness or poor health, I would hope that we also have the ability to change.

During the first 26 months of life, the parts of our brains that are already present are almost entirely a mass of disorganized neurons. Our experiences – especially when repeated and/or associated with stimulating responses such as excitement – begin emphasizing some networks and subordinating others. This process, which is called differentiation, is accelerated during that early period. As the brain continues to develop, the differentiation process continues. In fact, to some degree this remains an ongoing process through old age.

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We examined two potential correlates of hypnotic suggestibility: dissociation and cognitive inhibition. Dissociation is the foundation of two of the major theories of hypnosis and other theories commonly postulate that hypnotic responding is a result of attentional abilities (including inhibition). Participants were administered the Waterloo-Stanford Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form C. Under the guise of an unrelated study, 180 of these participants also completed: a version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale that is normally distributed in non-clinical populations; a latent inhibition task, a spatial negative priming task, and a memory task designed to measure negative priming. The data ruled out even moderate correlations between hypnotic suggestibility and all the measures of dissociation and cognitive inhibition overall, though they also indicated gender differences. The results are a challenge for existing theories of hypnosis.

Conscious Cogn. 2009 Dec;18(4):837-47. Epub 2009 Aug 25. Dienes Z, Brown E, Hutton S, Kirsch I, Mazzoni G, Wright DB. School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK. dienes@sussex.ac.uk

This study investigated sudden gains, i.e., rapid and stable improvements, in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms that may occur in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Twenty-nine of 72 participants (39.2%) experienced a sudden gain during treatment. Mixed model ANOVAs analyzed sudden gains impact on clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity, patient-rated PTSD symptom severity, and patient-rated depressive symptom severity. Sudden gains in PTSD symptomology were associated with greater reductions in PTSD symptom severity for the avoidance/numbing and hyperarousal symptom clusters at posttreatment. By 6-month follow-up, the sudden gains group had maintained those reductions in symptoms, but the nonsudden gains group had achieved equal reductions in symptom severity. Participants experiencing sudden gains on PTSD measures had lower depression severity at posttreatment and follow-up.

J Trauma Stress. 2009 Aug;22(4):287-93. Kelly KA, Rizvi SL, Monson CM, Resick PA. Women's Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.

by Coach Cary Bayer

Whenever I teach my 6-CE workshop, "Build a $100,000 a Year Healing Arts Business in Just 1 Hour a Day," I take two hours to awaken prosperity and success thinking in the facilitators in my classroom. I do that because the overwhelming majority of healers I've come across-now numbering in the thousands-do not think this way naturally. I often say that a slowed down economy is not a problem for such therapists. The problem is how a healer thinks, speaks, and acts about it.

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