FULL TITLE: Hypnosis and Alopecia Areata: Long-term Beneficial Effects on Psychological Well-being.

Although there often exists important psychological comorbidity in patients with alopecia areata, few studies have investigated the role of psychotherapeutic interventions. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the long-term evolution of psychological symptoms in twenty-one patients with refractory alopecia areata. Patients received 10 individual sessions of hypnosis during an approximate 6-month period. Before treatment, patients presented a pathological psychological comorbidity. After treatment, a significant amelioration of alexithymia, anxiety, depression and mental well-being was observed. These improvements were maintained up to 6 months after the end of treatment. Important limitations of this study include the recruitment of highly motivated patients and a non-controlled study design. In summary, hypnotherapy may be effective for significantly improving and maintaining psychological well-being and quality of life in patients with refractory alopecia areata.

Acta Derm Venereol. 2010 Nov 22. doi: 10.2340/00015555-1012. Willemsen R, Haentjens P, Roseeuw D, Vanderlinden J. Department of Dermatology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije University Brussel, Jette, Belgium.

FULL TITLE: A stranger in the looking glass: developing and challenging a hypnotic mirrored-self misidentification delusion.

This article describes a study that used hypnosis to temporarily re-create mirrored-self misidentification, which is the delusional belief that the person one sees in the mirror is a stranger. Following a hypnotic suggestion to see a stranger in the mirror, high hypnotizable subjects described seeing a stranger with physical characteristics different to their own. Whereas subjects' beliefs about seeing a stranger were clearly false, they had no difficulty generating sensible reasons to explain the stranger's presence. The authors tested the resilience of this belief with clinically inspired challenges. Although visual challenges (e.g., the hypnotist appearing in the mirror alongside the subject) were most likely to breach the delusion, some subjects maintained the delusion across all challenges. Findings are discussed in light of the dominant theory of delusions and highlight the advantages of using hypnosis to explore delusional beliefs.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2011 Jan;59(1):1-26. Barnier AJ, Cox RE, Connors M, Langdon R, Coltheart M. Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

FULL TITLE: Hypnotic responsiveness: expectancy, attitudes, fantasy proneness, absorption, and gender.

This study examines the effect of providing information linking participants' attitudes toward hypnosis with later hypnotic performance. Using total scale scores from McConkey's Opinions About Hypnosis scale, as well as subscale scores, the authors found a weak association between attitudes and performance among 460 student participants; however, the correlation was unaffected by prehypnotic information specifically connecting attitudes and performance. A brief, 3-item measure of hypnotic expectancies generated the strongest correlation with hypnotic responsiveness. The authors also found that the association between fantasy proneness and hypnotizability was unaffected by the order of scale administration. Finally, the study highlighted gender differences across measures of fantasy proneness, absorption, expectancy, and hypnotizability.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2011 Jan;59(1):103-21. Green JP, Lynn SJ. The Ohio State University, Lima, OH 45804, USA. green.301@osu.edu

by Tim Brunson, PhD

So-called skepticism in self-styled scientific circles almost always fails to meet the rigorous standards to which they hold those whom they criticize. The quick-draws and loose tongues of these pontifical authorities violate their own rules of conduct. Therefore, many ideas, which are later assumed to be scientifically proven, are too quickly dismissed long before they become the next dogma to which future ideas are scrutinized. Innovations such as Newtonian Physics, Einstein's Theory of Relativity, and neuroplasticity are currently held concepts, which once were targeted by those who claimed to be the gate keepers of intellectual progress. Fortunately, these innovations weathered the gauntlet of narrow minded guardians of Dogma. However, in reviewing the reasoning that skeptics commonly employ as they unilaterally and with little justification label that with which they have considerable discomfort as being "pseudo-scientific," I have always been amazed by their hypocrisy. It is so obvious to anyone who has ever been trained in the scientific method that their total lack of reasoning fails to employ such.

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FULL TITLE: Methodological and interpretative issues regarding the Phenomenology of consciousness inventory--hypnotic assessment procedure: a comment on pekala et al. (2010a, 2010b).

In two papers, Pekala et al. (2010a, 2010b) reviewed and empirically assessed the relationships among response expectancies, hypnotic suggestibility, spontaneous alterations in consciousness following a hypnotic induction, and hypnotic depth. We appreciate their attempt to integrate diverse facets of hypnotic responding and reconcile seemingly competing accounts of hypnosis. In addition, we applaud their complementary use of phenomenological and hypnotic suggestibility measures. However, in their attempt to develop a clinically-viable measure of hypnotic responsiveness, we believe that they have sacrificed too much, resulting in a measure with a number of important shortcomings whose empirical utility is questionable. Furthermore, their review and study gloss over a number of important distinctions. Finally, we believe that they over-interpret the relationships between their selected measures and ones previously used in the extant literature. A closer examination of variability among highly suggestible individuals, from the purview of the approach that Pekala et al. have adopted, but with a greater diversity of methods, is likely to yield a number of insights into the characteristics and determinants of hypnotic suggestibility and self-perceived hypnotic depth.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2010 Oct;53(2):109-17; discussion 119-32. Terhune DB, Cardeña E. Department of Psychology, Lund University, Sweden. devin.terhune@psychology.lu.se

by William Mitchell

Doesn't every therapeutic intervention involve suggestive communication or a shift in thinking or sensory experience? Hypnosis is a process of communication that allows the client to use their own power for self-help, maintaining health and healing. "Hypnosis allows for therapeutic possibilities simply not likely through other means. This alone warrants serious consideration."(Michael Yapko, PhD,Family Therapy Magazine,Aug.2008)

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FULL TITLE: Dissociated control as a signature of typological variability in high hypnotic suggestibility.

This study tested the prediction that dissociative tendencies modulate the impact of a hypnotic induction on cognitive control in different subtypes of highly suggestible individuals. Low suggestible (LS), low dissociative highly suggestible (LDHS), and high dissociative highly suggestible (HDHS) participants completed the Stroop color-naming task in control and hypnosis conditions. The magnitude of conflict adaptation (faster response times on incongruent trials preceded by an incongruent trial than those preceded by a congruent trial) was used as a measure of cognitive control. LS and LDHS participants displayed marginally superior up-regulation of cognitive control following a hypnotic induction, whereas HDHS participants' performance declined. These findings indicate that dissociative tendencies modulate the influence of a hypnotic induction on cognitive control in high hypnotic suggestibility and suggest that HS individuals are comprised of distinct subtypes with dissimilar cognitive profiles.

Conscious Cogn. 2010 Dec 13. Terhune DB, Cardeña E, Lindgren M. Department of Psychology, Lund University, Box 213, 22100 Lund, Sweden.

FULL TITLE: The Attentional Resource Allocation Scale (ARAS): psychometric properties of a composite measure for dissociation and absorption.

BACKGROUND: Differences in attentional processes have been linked to the development and maintenance of psychopathology. Shifts in such processes have been described by the constructs Dissociation and Absorption. Dissociation occurs when external and/or internal stimuli are excluded from consciousness due to discrepant, rather than unitary, manifestations of cognitive awareness [Erdelyi MH. 1994: Int J Clin Exp Hypnosis 42:379-390]. In contrast, absorption can be conceptualized by a focus on limited stimuli, to the exclusion of other stimuli, because of unifying, rather than discrepant, manifestations of cognitive awareness. The Dissociative Experiences Scale [DES; Bernstein EM, Putnam FW. 1986: J Nerv Ment Dis 174:727-735] and Tellegen Absorption Scale [TAS; Tellegen A, Atkinson G. 1974: J Abnorm Psychol 83:268-277] are common measures of each construct; however, no factor analyses are available for the TAS and despite accepted overlap, no one has assessed the DES and TAS items simultaneously. Previous research suggests the constructs and factor structures need clarification, possibly including more parsimonious item inclusion [Lyons LC, Crawford HJ. 1997: Person Individ Diff 23:1071-1084]. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure of the DES and TAS and create a psychometrically stable measure of Dissociation and Absorption. METHODS: This study included data from an undergraduate (n=841; 76% women) and a community sample (n=233; 86% women) who each completed the DES and TAS. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analyses [Osborne JW (ed). 2008: Best Practices in Quantitative Methods. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Inc.] with all DES and TAS items suggested a 15-item 3-factor solution (i.e., imaginative involvement, dissociative amnesia, attentional dissociation). Confirmatory factor analyses resulted in excellent fit indices for the same solution. CONCLUSIONS: The items and factors were conceptualized in line with precedent research as the Attentional Resource Allocation Scale (ARAS). Comprehensive results, implications, and future research directions are discussed.

Depress Anxiety. 2010 Aug;27(8):775-86. Carleton RN, Abrams MP, Asmundson GJ. University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Jean-Martin Charcot proposed the radical hypothesis that similar brain processes were responsible for the unexplained neurological symptoms of 'hysteria', now typically diagnosed as 'conversion disorder' or 'dissociative (conversion) disorder', and the temporary effects of hypnosis. While this idea has been largely ignored, recent cognitive neuroscience studies indicate that (i) hypnotisability traits are associated with a tendency to develop dissociative symptoms in the sensorimotor domain; (ii) dissociative symptoms can be modelled with suggestions in highly hypnotisable subjects; and (iii) hypnotic phenomena engage brain processes similar to those seen in patients with symptoms of hysteria. One clear theme to emerge from the findings is that 'symptom' presentation, whether clinically diagnosed or simulated using hypnosis, is associated with increases in prefrontal cortex activity suggesting that intervention by the executive system in both automatic and voluntary cognitive processing is common to both hysteria and hypnosis. Nevertheless, while the recent literature provides some compelling leads into the understanding of these phenomena, the field still lacks well controlled systematically designed studies to give a clear insight into the neurocognitive processes underlying dissociation in both hysteria and hypnosis. The aim of this review is to provide an agenda for future research.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2010 Sep 30. Bell V, Oakley DA, Halligan PW, Deeley Q. Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Just about every aspect of human communication alters the frequency of a person's brainwaves and results in various parts of the brain activating, idling, or being inhibited. When this results in a type of focused attention during which certain mental resistances are reduced and selective imagination is enhanced, we can say that a hypnotic process has occurred. Clearly, this can happen on purpose when a skilled clinical – or stage – operator communicates with the intention of creating such a result. However, the truth is that this happens unintentionally all the time. When a hypnotic process is in employed for the express purpose of achieving a desired secondary gain – such as improving health or happiness, as well as achieving self-actualization – we can regard it hypnotherapy. But, does every endeavor that produces a hypnotic effect warrant the label "hypnotherapy" or its recognition as a new school of hypnotherapy ? Such is the case when considering what is popularly called Ericksonian Hypnotherapy.

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FULL TITLE: A randomized controlled trial of the effects of hypnosis with 3-D virtual reality animation on tiredness, mood, and salivary cortisol.

Case studies suggest hypnosis with a virtual reality (VR) component may be an effective intervention; although few follow-up randomized, controlled trials have been performed comparing such interventions with standard hypnotic treatments. Thirty-five healthy participants were randomized to self-hypnosis with VR imagery, standard self-hypnosis, or relaxation interventions. Changes in sleep, cortisol levels, and mood were examined. Self-hypnosis involved 10- to 20-min. sessions visualizing a healthy immune scenario. Trait absorption was also recorded as a possible moderator. Moderated regression indicated that both hypnosis interventions produced significantly lower tiredness ratings than relaxation when trait absorption was high. When trait absorption was low, VR resulted in significantly higher engagement ratings, although this did not translate to demonstrable improvement in outcome. Results suggest that VR imagery may increase engagement relative to traditional methods, but further investigation into its potential to enhance therapeutic efficacy is required.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2011 Jan;59(1):122-42. Thompson T, Steffert T, Steed A, Gruzelier J. Department of Psychology & Counselling, University of Greenwich, London, UK. t.thompson@gre.ac.uk

Parasomnias are undesirable physical or experiential events that occur in and around sleep. Treatments include reassurance in some cases, various forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and pharmacologic agents. Cognitive restructuring, imagery rehearsal, relaxation, hypnosis, desensitization, and anticipatory awakenings are some of the common CBT and nonpharmacologic interventions. Medications that are used belong to a wide variety of pharmacologic classes, such as alpha-blockers (prazosin), tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine and clomipramine), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines (diazepam and clonazepam), anticonvulsants (topiramate and gabapentin), desmopressin acetate, and anticholinergic agents (oxybutynin and tolterodine). Data on efficacy are only available from randomized trials on CBT and prazosin for nightmares and on pharmacologic and alarm therapy for enuresis. No large-scale randomized trials are available to assess the efficacy of the other treatments, and most data come from anecdotal case reports, case series, or small open-label trials.

Neurol Clin. 2010 Nov;28(4):1089-106. Attarian H. Department of Neurology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maguire Building, Room 2700, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, USA. hattarian@lumc.edu

FULL TITLE: Symboldrama, a psychotherapeutic method for adolescents with dissociative and PTSD symptoms: a pilot study.

A total of 15 clinically referred adolescents who had been sexually or physically abused participated in this pilot study of the use of symboldrama psychotherapy. Symboldrama is a psychotherapeutic method that uses imagery as the major psychotherapeutic tool. All adolescents reported to be suffering from a high level of dissociative symptoms and other symptoms such as anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and anger after their traumas. The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that symboldrama psychotherapy in addition to psycho-education of the non-offending parent would significantly reduce the reported symptoms. Before treatment, the participants answered three questionnaires: (a) the Life Incidence of Traumatic Events Scale, (b) the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children, and (c) the Dissociation Questionnaire-Swedish version. After treatment, the participants once again filled out the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and the Dissociation Questionnaire-Swedish version. The scores from before and after treatment were compared, and the results showed that the symptoms had been statistically significantly reduced.

J Trauma Dissociation. 2010 Jul;11(3):308-21. Nilsson D, Wadsby M. BUP-Elefanten, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Linkoping University, Linkoping, Sweden. doris.nilsson@liu.se

FULL TITLE: Reestablishment of hope as an intervention for a patient with cystic fibrosis awaiting lung transplantation.

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience a progressive deterioration in health leading to a shortened life expectancy with concomitant psychologic challenges that also may require intervention. Approaches to address psychologic dysfunction include insight-oriented therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, biofeedback, hypnosis, massage, music therapy, relaxation, and family therapy. Patients who learn to use coping strategies are more likely to adhere to treatment, which helps improve both their physical and psychologic well-being. Unique stressors arise for patients awaiting lung transplant as a result of their advanced state of disease along with their fear of death before donor lungs become available. This case report demonstrates some of the psychologic struggles faced by a 10-year-old with CF as he awaited lung transplantation, which led to a loss of hope and his request for withdrawal of care. Encouraging of the patient to express how his life might be improved yielded changes in his management that restored his hopefulness, and allowed him to survive long enough to undergo successful lung transplantation. Thus, reestablishment of hope might be studied as an additional intervention to help improve the well-being of patients who are seriously ill.

J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Sep;16(9):1007-10. Anbar RD, Murthy VV. Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA. Anbarr@upstate.edu

FULL TITLE: Impact of a lecture about empirical bases of hypnosis on beliefs and attitudes toward hypnosis among Cuban health professionals.

The aim of this study was to examine whether a lecture on hypnosis can modify attitudes and misconceptions about hypnosis. The sample consisted of 97 health professionals from institutions in Havana City, Cuba. Group 1 consisted of 46 participants who received a lecture on hypnosis. Group 2 consisted of 51 participants who received a lecture about urology. and Beliefs toward Hypnosis-Therapist was applied before and after the lecture. Results indicated that there were significant differences between the groups: Group 1 showed more positive attitudes toward hypnosis. However, both groups showed similar misconceptions about hypnosis and memory, which changed significantly in Group 1 after receiving the lecture about hypnosis but not in Group 2. Therefore, the lecture about hypnosis had a significant impact in correcting participants' misconceptions about memory and hypnosis.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2010 Oct;58(4):476-96. Martín M, Capafons A, Espejo B, Mendoza ME, Guerra M, Enríquez Santos JA, Díaz-Purón S, Guirado IG, Castilla CD. University of Havana, Cuba.

FULL TITLE: Comparison of conventional therapies for dentin hypersensitivity versus medical hypnosis.

This study compared the efficacy of conventional treatments for dentin hypersensitivity (DHS) and hypnotherapy. During a 1-month period at an urban practice in a service area of approximately 22,000 inhabitants, all patients were examined. A total of 102 individuals were included in the evaluation. Values of 186 teeth were analyzed. The comparison of the different treatment methods (desensitizer, fluoridation, and hypnotherapy) did not show significant differences in success rates. However, a noticeable difference was observed in terms of onset and duration of effect. For both desensitizer and hypnotherapy treatments, onset of effect was very rapid. Compared to the other methods studied, hypnotherapy effects had the longest duration. In conclusion, hypnotherapy was as effective as other methods in the treatment of DHS.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2010 Oct;58(4):457-75. Eitner S, Bittner C, Wichmann M, Nickenig HJ, Sokol B. Department of Prosthodontics,Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. stephan.eitner@uk-erlangen.de

INTRODUCTION: Despite questionable efficacy and safety, many women use a variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to relieve menopause symptoms.

METHODS: We examined the determinants and use of CAM therapies among a sample of menopausal-aged women in Canada by using a cross-sectional Web-based survey.

RESULTS: Four hundred twenty-three women who were contacted through list serves, e-mail lists, and Internet advertisements provided complete data on demographics, use of CAM, therapies, and menopausal status and symptoms. Ninety-one percent of women reported trying CAM therapies for their symptoms. Women reported using an average of five kinds of CAM therapies. The most common treatments were vitamins (61.5%), relaxation techniques (57.0%), yoga/meditation (37.6%), soy products (37.4%), and prayer (35.7%). The most beneficial CAM therapies reported were prayer/spiritual healing, relaxation techniques, counseling/therapy, and therapeutic touch/Reiki. Demographic factors and menopausal symptoms contributed to 14% of the variance (P < .001) in the number of CAM therapies tried.

DISCUSSION: Results support previous research showing that menopausal women have high user rates of CAM therapy and show that specific demographic factors and somatic symptomatology relate to use of CAM therapies. Health care providers can benefit from understanding the determinants and use of CAM by women during the menopause transition if they are to help and provide quality care for this population.

Lunny CA, Fraser SN. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2010 Jul;55(4):335-43.

Yawning continues to pose as a scientist's conundrum. Evidence is presented of yawning and contagious yawning in a number of different neurological disorders. Explanations are discussed in the context of disparate neurological disorders together with proposals for how theses findings may be linked. Thus, greater understanding of yawning and of neurological disorders may be achieved by exploring common neuro-chemical pathways and the involvement of neurotransmitters that are implicated in these different disorders. Finally, contagious yawning is discussed in the context of the susceptibility of persons and the similarity this presents with our understanding of the mechanisms involved in hypnosis.

Med Hypotheses. 2010 Aug 24. Thompson SB. Bournemouth University, BH12 5BB, United Kingdom.

Full Title: Suggestibility, expectancy, trance state effects, and hypnotic depth: II. Assessment via the PCI-HAP.

This study sought to determine if self-reported hypnotic depth (srHD) could be predicted from the variables of the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory - Hypnotic Assessment Procedure (PCI-HAP) (Pekala, 1995a, 1995b; Pekala & Kumar, 2007; Pekala et al., 2010), assessing several of the processes theorized by researchers to be associated with hypnotism: trance (altered state effects), suggestibility, and expectancy. One hundred and eighty participants completed the PCI-HAP. Using regression analyses, srHD scores were predicted from the PCI-HAP pre-hypnotic and post-hypnotic assessment items, and several other variables. The results suggested that the srHD scores were found to be a function of imagoic suggestibility, expectancy (both estimated hypnotic depth and expected therapeutic efficacy), and trance state and eye catalepsy effects; effects that appear to be additive and not (statistically) interactive. The results support the theorizing of many investigators concerning the involvement of the aforementioned component processes with this particular aspect of hypnotism, the self-reported hypnotic depth score.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2010 Apr;52(4):291-318. Pekala RJ, Kumar VK, Maurer R, Elliott-Carter N, Moon E, Mullen K. Coatesville VA Medical Center, Coatesville, PA 19320, USA. Ronald.Pekala@va.gov

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common of the entrapment neuropathies. Surgical decompression is commonly performed and has traditionally been considered the defnitive treatment for CTS. Conservative treatment options include physical therapy, bracing, steroid injections and alternative medicine. While CTS is often progressive, patients may get better without formal treatment. The resolution of symptoms is not necessarily related to the severity of the clinical findings and self-limited activity is common. The current literature suggests that bracing and corticosteroid injections may be useful in the nonsurgical treatment of CTS, although the benefits may be short term. There is limited evidence regarding the efficacy of other treatments, such as therapy, exercise, yoga, acupuncture, lasers and magnets, and further studies are needed. Surgery is recommended for progressive functional deficits and significant pain.

Carlson H, Colbert A, Frydl J, Arnall E, Elliot M, Carlson N. Int J Clin Rheumtol. 2010 Feb;5(1):129-142.

Full Title: Suggestibility, expectancy, trance state effects, and hypnotic depth: I. Implications for understanding hypnotism.

This paper reviews the relationships between trance or altered state effects, suggestibility, and expectancy as these concepts are defined in the theorizing of Weitzenhoffer (2002), Holroyd (2003), Kirsch (1991), and others, for the purpose of demonstrating how these concepts can be assessed with the PCI-HAP (Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory: Hypnotic Assessment Procedure; Pekala, 1995a, b). In addition, how the aforementioned variables may relate to the nature of hypnosis/hypnotism as a function of self-reported hypnotic depth are discussed, along with how the PCI-HAP may be used as a means to measure hypnotic responsivity from a more phenomenological state perspective, in contrast to more traditional behavioral trait assessment instruments like the Harvard, the Stanford C, or the HIP. A follow-up paper (Pekala, Kumar, Maurer, Elliott-Carter, Moon, & Mullen, 2010) will present research data on the PCI-HAP model and how this model can be useful for better understanding hypnotism.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2010 Apr;52(4):275-90. Pekala RJ, Kumar VK, Maurer R, Elliott-Carter N, Moon E, Mullen K. Coatesville VA Medical Center, Coatesville, PA 19320, USA. Ronald.Pekala@va.gov

Full Title: Using alternating bilateral stimulation of eye movement desensitization for treatment of fearful patients.

Since the mid-1990s, eye movement desensitization (EMD) has been used in the realm of clinical psychology and psychiatry as a nonpharmacotherapeutic modality for the treatment of phobias, post-traumatic symptoms, and various psychotrauma cases. EMD can also be incorporated into the use of hypnosis, although the two are not the same thing. This study examined various clinical applications of the eye movement component of EMD (known as alternating bilateral stimulation (ABS)) on fearful dental patients who had a history of traumatic dental experiences. Findings were based on the clinical impressions and assessments of both the patients and the operating team. Results show that ABS, while effective for enabling patients to undergo non-invasive dental procedures such as clinical examinations and simple prophylaxis, has only limited beneficial effect for extremely fearful patients who must undergo invasive procedures such as extraction, drilling, and injections. Nevertheless, ABS is effective for mild to moderate patient phobia and anxiety. Although EMD is more effective than ABS, ABS is simple and easy for patients and clinicians to perform during treatment and can be performed readily in the dental office.

Gen Dent. 2010 May-Jun;58(3):e140-7. Lu DP. Department of Oral Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, USA.

Introduction. Inconsistencies in the relationship between dissociation and hypnosis may result from heterogeneity among highly suggestible individuals, in particular the existence of distinct highly suggestible subtypes that are of relevance to models of psychopathology and the consequences of trauma. This study contrasted highly suggestible subtypes high or low in dissociation on measures of hypnotic responding, cognitive functioning, and psychopathology. Methods. Twenty-one low suggestible (LS), 19 low dissociative highly suggestible (LDHS), and 11 high dissociative highly suggestible (HDHS) participants were administered hypnotic suggestibility scales and completed measures of free recall, working memory capacity, imagery, fantasy-proneness, psychopathology, and exposure to stressful life events. Results. HDHS participants were more responsive to positive and negative hallucination suggestions and experienced greater involuntariness during hypnotic responding. They also exhibited impaired working memory capacity, elevated pathological fantasy and dissociative symptomatology, and a greater incidence of exposure to stressful life events. In contrast, LDHS participants displayed superior object visual imagery. Conclusions. These results provide further evidence for two highly suggestible subtypes: a dissociative subtype characterised by deficits in executive functioning and a predisposition to psychopathology, and a subtype that exhibits superior imagery and no observable deficits in functioning.

Cogn Neuropsychiatry. 2010 Aug 17:1-23. Terhune DB, Cardena E, Lindgren M. Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Religious professionals completed an online survey of their use of health related practices currently known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). They indicated how often they engaged in these practices and how often they had used these practices when helping other people. The majority of religious professionals used at least one of the practices when alone and when helping other people. The most frequently used practices were meditation and deep breathing exercises used both when alone and when helping others. Female respondents were more likely to use these practices on their own and when helping others than were males, and older respondents were more likely to use multiple CAM practices than their younger counterparts. Other Faith/Humanists used the most CAM practices when alone and Jewish respondents used the fewest. In general, religious professionals used fewer practices when helping others than they used for themselves. Limitations of this study and suggestions for future studies for examining CAM practices among religious professionals are discussed.

Jankowski KR, Silton NR, Galek K, Montonye MG. J Health Care Chaplain. 2010 Jul;16(3-4):172-82. College of Pastoral Care, Healthcare Chaplaincy, New York, New York 10022, USA. kjankowski@healthcarechaplaincy.org

Full Title: Hypnosis and the relationship between trance, suggestion, expectancy and depth: some semantic and conceptual issues.

In the first of two recent papers, Pekala, Kumar, Maurer, Elliot-Carter, Moon and Mullen (2010a) review what they consider to be the relationships between trance or altered state effects, suggestibility, and expectancy, and how they relate to the concepts of hypnosis and hypnotism. They also suggest that these concepts can be assessed with an instrument they term the PCI-HAP (Phenomenology of Consciousness: Inventory-Hypnotic Assessment Procedure). In the second paper (Pekala, Kumar, Elliot-Carter, Moon, & Mullen, 2010b), they set out to determine empirically whether these concepts can predict hypnotic depth scores using the PCI-HAP. They conclude that their results support the view that all of these component processes may be involved in 'hypnotism' and experiences of hypnotic depth. However, according to their conceptualization, 'hypnosis' itself involves, or consists of, only altered state or trance effects. These papers raise a number of fundamental methodological, semantic and conceptual issues that are discussed in this commentary. Topics discussed include distinctions between concepts such as 'hypnosis', and 'hypnotism,' the role of inductions and suggestion in producing hypnotic phenomena, and the measurement and conceptualization of 'hypnotic depth.' It is concluded that many of the problems relating to the definition and conceptualization of terms associated with hypnosis may be clarified by placing the terms in their historical context, and that difficulties in identifying the origins of the experiences and behaviours associated with hypnosis may stem from insufficient attention to the role of suggestion and expectancies in producing hypnotic phenomena, and an over-reliance on the role of the procedures and mechanics of the induction process.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2010 Jul;53(1):47-59. Wagstaff GF. Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Eleanor Rathbone Building, Bedford Street South, Liverpool, UK, L69 7ZA.

BACKGROUND: There has been a breakthrough in the understanding of anaesthetic drug effects during the last two decades, and new monitors aimed at quantifying such effects have been developed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This review is based on publications from the last 15 years, oral presentations, and rewritten parts of the author's PhD thesis.

RESULTS: General anaesthesia can be regarded as a combination of hypnosis (sleep), analgesia and muscle relaxation. Modern anaesthetic drugs aim at each of these effects separately. Pharmacological variation makes it impossible to find one dose suitable for all, so tools for measuring drug effects in the individual patient are warranted. Monitors for measuring depth-of-hypnosis and partly analgesic effect are commercially available. Among these, BIS (bispectral index), based on EEG, is by far the best documented. BIS is proven useful for preventing undesired awareness and overdosing, but there are major limitations. Use of such technology in clinical practice is under constant debate.

INTERPRETATION: Even though the BIS technology is promising and used widely, no health authorities have so far recommended that such monitors should be compulsory during general anaesthesia, but rather that it should be considered on an individual basis. So far, it seems like this is a sensible approach in Norway as well

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2010 Mar 25;130(6):633-7. Høymork SC. Anestesi- og intensivavdelingen, Vestre Viken, Sykehuset Asker og Baerum 1309 Rud, Norway. s.c.hoymork@medisin.uio.no

To clarify whether hypnotically-induced alexia was able to reduce the Stroop effect due to color/word interference, 12 volunteers (6 with high and 6 with low hypnotizability according to Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale Form C) underwent a Stroop test consisting of measuring, both in basal conditions and during post-hypnotic alexia, the reaction times (RT) at appearance of a colored word indicating a color. In basal conditions, RT were greater in case of incongruence. In highly hypnotizable participants, the interference was less pronounced during post-hypnotic alexia (-34%, p = 0.03). During alexia, late positive complexamplitude was also greater for congruent than incongruent conditions (p < 0.03), and cardiovascular response to stress was less pronounced as well. In participants showing low hypnotizability, no reduction of Stroop effect was detected during post-hypnotic alexia. Posthypnotic alexia is therefore a real and measurable phenomenon, capable of reducing the color-word interference and the haemodynamic effects of the Stroop test.

Am J Clin Hypn. 2010 Jan;52(3):219-33. Casiglia E, Schiff S, Facco E, Gabbana A, Tikhonoff V, Schiavon L, Bascelli A, Avdia M, Tosello MT, Rossi AM, Haxhi Nasto H, Guidotti F, Giacomello M, Amodio P. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, I-35128 Padova, Italy. edoardo.casiglia@unipd.it

In a 2008 pilot study we used DNA microarrays to explore the historical ideo-plastic faculty of therapeutic hypnosis. We documented how to measure changes in activity or experience-dependent gene expression over relatively brief time periods (1 hour and 24 hours) following a single intervention of therapeutic hypnosis (about 1 hour). In the present paper we utilize bioinformatic software to explore the possible meaning and significance of this ideo-plastic faculty of therapeutic hypnosis. Indications suggest that the ideo-plastic process of therapeutic hypnosis may be associated with (1) the heightening of a molecular-genomic signature for the up-regulation (heightened activity) of genes characteristic of stem cell growth, (2) a reduction in cellular oxidative stress, and (3) a reduction in chronic inflammation. We identify these three empirical associations as an initial beta version of the molecular-genomic signature of the ideo-plastic process of therapeutic hypnosis, which can serve as a theoretical and practical guide for clinical excellence by beginners as well as senior professionals. We propose this molecular-genomic level of discourse as a supplement to the traditional cognitive-behavioral description of therapeutic suggestion, hypnosis, and psychotherapy that is consistent with "translational research" currently funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Am J Clin Hypn. 2010 Jul;53(1):27-46. Atkinson D, Iannotti S, Cozzolino M, Castiglione S, Cicatelli A, Vyas B, Mortimer J, Hill R, Chovanec E, Chiamberlando A, Cuadros J, Virot C, Kerouac M, Kallfass T, Krippner S, Frederick C, Gregory B, Shaffran M, Bullock M, Soleimany E, Rossi AC, Rossi K, Rossi E. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA.

In highly hypnotizable individuals (highs), postural control is more independent of sensory information than in low hypnotizable subjects (lows). The aim of the study was to find out whether locomotion is also less affected in highs than in lows by visual suppression and changes in the neck proprioceptive input. Eighteen highs and 20 lows were asked to walk straight ahead, blindfolded, in basal conditions (face forward), during real and imagined right/left head rotation and mental computation. Highs detected deviations from the straight trajectory better than lows. Their walking direction was more straight during basal conditions and less influenced than the lows' one by mental computation and real/imagined rotation of the head. The results confirm highs' lower dependence on sensory inputs, although this cannot be definitely attributed to a better internal representation of space or to higher behavioral automaticity.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2010 Jan;58(1):122-35. Menzocchi M, Paoletti G, Huber A, Carli G, Cavallaro FI, Manzoni D, Santarcangelo EL. University of Siena, Italy.

The hypnotic relationship is an important parameter for both experimental and therapeutic contexts. Hypnotic dreams may serve as a lens to examine the hypnotic relationship. By answering 5 questions per item, 70 judges rated 12 accounts of brief hypnotic dreams conducted as part of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C. The data show that the judges were able to correctly discern highly from less hypnotizable individuals. Interestingly, highly hypnotizable females coached by a male hypnotic operator had more sexually charged dreams than either less hypnotizable females or males regardless of hypnotizability. These findings contextualize for further research and therapy transference issues related to the hypnotic relationship and the use of hypnotic dreams.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2010 Jan;58(1):69-81. Raz A, Schweizer HR, Zhu H, Bowles EN. Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA. amir.raz@mcgill.ca

Full Title: "Robbery by hypnosis" in Italy: a psycho-criminological analysis of the phenomenon based on 20 years of newspaper articles (1988-2007).

Shocking news of robberies committed using hypnosis on bank cashiers, salespeople, or passers-by has sporadically been reported by the media in countries around the world. The first reported episode in Italy dates to the 1950s. Although the phenomenon has been reported in the papers more frequently in recent years, no objective analysis of it has been published in the scientific literature. This paper analyzes 106 episodes recorded in Italy between 1988 and 2007, identified by a systematic review of the online and printed archives of Italian national and local dailies and of the database of the country's principal press agency. When they are analyzed from a psychological and criminological standpoint, there is no evidence to support any real use of hypnotic methods in the episodes described.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2009 Oct;57(4):419-30. Clerici CA, Veneroni L, De'micheli A, Betsos IM. Faculty of School of Medicine, Department of Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, Section of Psychology, University of Milan, 20135 Milano, Italy. carlo.clerici@unimi.it

In a study of the linguistic processes involved in hypnosis, 22 volunteer medical students performed semantic and phonologic fluency tasks and then associative priming tests with 2 delay-lengths in waking alert and hypnotic conditions as well. The participants performed better during semantic than phonological fluency tests in alert and also in hypnotic states, and this difference was significantly greater in hypnosis. The increased semantic performance in hypnosis was accompanied by a decrease of the rule-offending errors. Significant semantic priming effects were detected in both states of consciousness in direct and indirect relations as well as in the automatic, intralexical level, and also when the extralexical control processes were activated. Overall, the results appear to show that the hypnotically altered state of consciousness produces significantly better performance in semantic information processing than can be elicited in alert waking conditions.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2009 Oct;57(4):382-401. Szendi I, Kovács ZA, Szekeres G, Galsi G, Boda K, Boncz I, Janka Z. Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary. szendi@nepsy.szote.u-szeged.hu

Full Title: The mesmerists inquire about "Oriental mind powers": West meets East in the search for the universal trance.

Contemporary interest in Asian meditation raises questions about when Westerners began investigating these practices. A synopsis of Western-originating scientific meditation research is followed by a brief introduction to mesmerism. Next, the unappreciated ways the mesmerists explored Oriental mind powers is recounted. How the mesmerists' cultural positioning, philosophy, and interest in mind-body practices facilitated their inquiries of Oriental medicine and Hindu contemplative practices is explored, followed by a consideration of why these investigations were unique for the era. The way this work subverted Western cultural imperialism is examined. A consideration of the historical continuities and discontinuities between the mesmerists' inquiries and twentieth-century meditation research concludes the article.

J Hist Behav Sci. 2010 Winter;46(1):1-26. Schmit DT. St. Catherine's University, St. Paul, Minnesota 55105, USA. dtschmit@stkate.edu

Johansson BB. Current trends in stroke rehabilitation. A review with focus on brain plasticity. Acta Neurol Scand: DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2010.01417.x. (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Current understanding of brain plasticity has lead to new approaches in ischemic stroke rehabilitation. Stroke units that combine good medical and nursing care with task-oriented intense training in an environment that provides confidence, stimulation and motivation significantly improve outcome. Repetitive trans-cranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are applied in rehabilitation of motor function. The long-term effect, optimal way of stimulation and possibly efficacy in cognitive rehabilitation need evaluation. Methods based on multisensory integration of motor, cognitive, and perceptual processes including action observation, mental training, and virtual reality are being tested. Different approaches of intensive aphasia training are described. Recent data on intensive melodic intonation therapy indicate that even patients with very severe non-fluent aphasia can regain speech through homotopic white matter tract plasticity. Music therapy is applied in motor and cognitive rehabilitation. To avoid the confounding effect of spontaneous improvement, most trials are preformed >/=3 months post stroke. Randomized controlled trials starting earlier after strokes are needed. More attention should be given to stroke heterogeneity, cognitive rehabilitation, and social adjustment and to genetic differences, including the role of BDNF polymorphism in brain plasticity.

Johansson BB. Acta Neurol Scand. 2010 Aug 19. Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Full Title: Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Proximal Intercessory Prayer (STEPP) on Auditory and Visual Impairments in Rural Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: Proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) is a common complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, but clinical effects are poorly understood, partly because studies have focused on distant intercessory prayer (DIP).

METHODS: This prospective study used an audiometer (Earscan(R) 3) and vision charts (40 cm, 6 m "Illiterate E") to evaluate 24 consecutive Mozambican subjects (19 males/5 females) reporting impaired hearing (14) and/or vision (11) who subsequently received PIP interventions.

RESULTS: We measured significant improvements in auditory (P <0.003) and visual (P <0.02) function across both tested populations.

CONCLUSIONS: Rural Mozambican subjects exhibited improved audition and/or visual acuity subsequent to PIP. The magnitude of measured effects exceeds that reported in previous suggestion and hypnosis studies. Future study seems warranted to assess whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to standard medical care for certain patients with auditory and/or visual impairments, especially in contexts where access to conventional treatment is limited.

South Med J. 2010 Aug 3. Brown CG, Mory SC, Williams R, McClymond MJ. From the Department of Religious Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; Nashville, TN; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Department of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO.

Complete relaxation can be achieved by floating in a darkened, sound-proof relaxation tank filled with salinated water kept at body temperature. Under these conditions, meditation exercises up to self-hypnosis may lead to deep relaxation with physical and mental revitalization. A user manipulated his tank, presumably to completely cut off all optical and acoustic stimuli and accidentally also covered the ventilation hole. The man was found dead in his relaxation tank. The findings suggested lack of oxygen as the cause of death.

Arch Kriminol. 2009 Nov-Dec;224(5-6):177-83. Rupp W, Simon KH, Bohnert M. Institut für Rechtsmedizin des Universitätsklinikums Freiburg.

Recent developments in our understanding of psychogenic movement disorders have not yet led to advances in treatment. A potentially beneficial treatment strategy is suggestion, the voluntary use by the physicians of techniques that introduce into the patient's mind a belief that he or she will be healed. Principalism, the dominant school of contemporary medical ethics, holds that the use of suggestion is not ethically justifiable because it undermines patient autonomy and degrades the doctor-patient relationship. However, evidence from a variety of sources (neuroimaging, anecdote, expert opinion, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analysis) supports the efficacy of suggestion as a treatment for psychogenic movement disorders. When issues of choice, consent, deceit, disclosure, and decision-making are analyzed from the perspective of an ethics of care, we see that suggestion may enhance patient autonomy and does not violate the trust between doctors and their patients. I conclude that suggestion is therefore an ethically justifiable treatment for patients with psychogenic movement disorders.

Mov Disord. 2010 Feb 15;25(3):260-4. Shamy MC. University of Toronto, Division of Neurology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. michel.shamy@utoronto.ca

Physicians commonly recommend 'placebo treatments', which are not believed to have specific efficacy for the patient's condition. Motivations for placebo treatments include complying with patient expectations and promoting a placebo effect. In this article, we focus on two key empirical questions that must be addressed in order to assess the ethical legitimacy of placebo treatments in clinical practice: 1) do placebo treatments have the potential to produce clinically significant benefit? and 2) can placebo treatments be effective in promoting a therapeutic placebo response without the use of deception? We examine evidence from clinical trials and laboratory experiments bearing on these two questions. The conclusion is reached that based on currently available evidence, it is premature to judge whether placebo treatments are ethically justifiable, with the possible exception of acupuncture for pain relief.

Am J Bioeth. 2009 Dec;9(12):39-47. Miller FG, Colloca L. Department of Bioethics Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1156, USA. fmiller@nih.gov

Full Title Reestablishment of Hope as an Intervention for a Patient with Cystic Fibrosis Awaiting Lung Transplantation

Abstract Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience a progressive deterioration in health leading to a shortened life expectancy with concomitant psychologic challenges that also may require intervention. Approaches to address psychologic dysfunction include insight-oriented therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, biofeedback, hypnosis, massage, music therapy, relaxation, and family therapy. Patients who learn to use coping strategies are more likely to adhere to treatment, which helps improve both their physical and psychologic well-being. Unique stressors arise for patients awaiting lung transplant as a result of their advanced state of disease along with their fear of death before donor lungs become available. This case report demonstrates some of the psychologic struggles faced by a 10-year-old with CF as he awaited lung transplantation, which led to a loss of hope and his request for withdrawal of care. Encouraging of the patient to express how his life might be improved yielded changes in his management that restored his hopefulness, and allowed him to survive long enough to undergo successful lung transplantation. Thus, reestablishment of hope might be studied as an additional intervention to help improve the well-being of patients who are seriously ill.

Anbar RD, Murthy VV. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Aug 28. Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University , Syracuse, NY.

Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in paediatric populations is common yet, to date, there has been no synthesis of the evidence of its effectiveness in that population. This overview of systematic review evaluates the evidence for or against the effectiveness of CAM for any childhood condition. Methods Medline, AMED and Cochrane were searched from inception until September 2009. Reference lists of retrieved articles were hand-searched. Experts in the field of CAM were contacted. No language restrictions were applied. Results 17 systematic reviews were included in this overview, covering acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, massage and yoga. Results were unconvincing for most conditions although there is some evidence to suggest that acupuncture may be effective for postoperative nausea and vomiting, and that hypnotherapy may be effective in reducing procedure-related pain. Most of the reviews failed to mention the incidence of adverse effects of CAMs. Conclusions Although there is some encouraging evidence for hypnosis, herbal medicine and acupuncture, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that other CAMs are effective for the treatment of childhood conditions. Many of the systematic reviews included in this overview were of low quality, as were the randomised clinical trials within those reviews, further reducing the weight of that evidence. Future research in CAM for children should conform to the reporting standards outlined in the CONSORT and PRISMA guidelines.

Arch Dis Child. 2010 Jul 6. Hunt K, Ernst E. Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, Exeter, UK.