AIM To assess the effect of semicarbazide hydrochloride (SCZ), the blocker of synthetic enzyme for GABA, on the hypnotic activity of melatonin. METHODS Righting reflex method in mice and electroencephalography (EEG) in rats were used to determine effects of SCZ on sleep and hypnotic activity of melatonin. RESULTS Melatonin displayed a marked hypnotic activity both in righting reflex experim...

Recent meta-analyses have shown that adding hypnosis enhances the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. This hypnotic enhancement effect was evaluated in the analogue treatment of pain. Individuals scoring in the high (n = 135) and low (n = 150) ranges of hypnotic suggestibility were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 conditions: Stress Inoculation Training, the same treatment provided ...

Although there remains much to be learned, a great deal is now known about the neurophysiological processes involved in the experience of pain. Research confirms that there is no single focal "center" in the brain responsible for the experience of pain. Rather, pain is the end product of a number of integrated networks that involve activity at multiple cortical and subcortical sites. Our curren...

Data relating to the use of hypnotic medicines from a descriptive epidemiological study of drug use in 55 residential homes for elderly people were analysed. Of the 1888 residents included in the study, 435 (23.0%) were receiving a total of 448 hypnotic medicines. There was preferential prescribing of short-acting benzodiazepines but long-acting benzodiazepines represented 31.7% of all hypnotic...

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,...

The extent to which hypnotic suggestions are perceived as real is central to understanding hypnotic response. This study indexed the reality attributed to hypnotic suggestion through subtle projection of a visual image during simultaneous suggestion for a visual hallucination that resembled the projected image. Twenty real hypnotized and 20 simulating nonhypnotized participants were administere...

3 variables drawn from role theory were investigated as predictors of hypnotic responsiveness: congruence of self and role (assessed by questionnaire); role expectations (assessed by questionnaire); and role-taking aptitude (drama students vs. science students). 168 Ss (78 drama students, 91 science students) were administered the 2 questionnaires and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Suscept...

The effects of tailored versus scripted hypnotic inductions were tested with the intention of shedding light on age regression phenomena. From an initial pool of 31 volunteers, 10 males and 10 females who scored 3 or better on the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale, participated in this study. Participants were assigned to either scripted or tailored hypnotic induction conditions for regression t...

Hypnotherapeutic interactions can be mapped on a continuum from formal hypnosis to hypnotic conversation. Unlike the structured forms of formal hypnosis, hypnotic conversation relies upon utilizing the client's responses, both verbal and non-verbal, to facilitate therapeutic process. In this paper, we illustrate this continuum with a series of anecdotal clinical examples starting with formal hy...

In Phase I of the investigation, 70 5s were assigned to one of three treatment conditions: hypnotic induction, instructions to simulate hypnosis, or imagination control. All 5s were assessed on Orne's two indexes of trance logic (the transparent hallucination and the double hallucination). The imagination controls consistently showed trance logic as often as the hypnotic Ss. Depending upon the ...