Hypnosis meets neuropsychology: Simulating visuospatial neglect in healthy participants.

Neglect patients are not aware of stimuli in the contralesional space. We aimed to simulate neglect-like behaviour in healthy participants, by asking them to orient their visuospatial attention in two conditions: non-hypnotic suggestion and post-hypnotic suggestion. Results showed that directing visuospatial attention to one side of space caused neglect of stimuli in the opposite side of space, but only when participants were under post-hypnotic suggestion. Furthermore, directing visuospatial attention to the right side of space caused more neglect of left-sided stimuli than directing visuospatial attention to the left side of space did for right-sided stimuli. We propose that post-hypnotic suggestion can be a useful tool for (de)activating neurocognitive mechanisms underlying visuospatial awareness, a function that is fundamental for our survival. The use of post-hypnotic suggestion could be applied to the study of many domains of cognitive neurosciences (e.g., neurocognitive rehabilitation).

Neuropsychologia. 2011 Aug 30. Priftis K, Schiff S, Tikhonoff V, Giordano N, Amodio P, Umiltà C, Casiglia E. Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy; Laboratory of Neuropsychology, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Lido-Venice, Italy.