Effects Of Long-Term Hypnosis On Resting-State Brain Functional Activity

Background: Hypnosis aims to guide subjects into a special subconscious state,while giving them specific hypnotic cues.Hypnosis has been proven to be effective in many fields such as outpatient service and clinical treatment.However,the neural mechanism of hypnosis,especially the neural mechanism of long-term hypnotic practice,is still unclear.In the analysis of previous studies,it is found that hypnosis may involve the Default Mode Network(DMN)and the Forehead Network.Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore if long-term hypnosis can improve the cognition,memory,quality of life and self-efficacy of healthy people,and alleviate anxiety and depression.Also,this study used MRI technique to investigate the underlying neural mechanisms of long-term hypnotic practice.Method: Sixty-five individuals were recruited among undergraduates,and randomly divided into hypnotherapy group(HYP,N = 32)or control group(WL,N = 30).The HYP group received six-months hypnotic intervention(once a week),while the control group was not given any intervention treatment.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)was used to explore the underlying neural mechanisms of long-term hypnotic practice.In addition,we explored the mental health effects of long-term hypnotic practice using scale tests(self-efficacy scale,general well-being scale,self-acceptance questionnaire,toronto alexithymia scale,locus of control scale,self-rating anxiety scale,shyness scale and self-rating depression scale).The stanford hypnotic susceptibility scale,hypnotic depth ruler and the weekly hypnosis practice manual were used to explore the regulatory factors of hypnotic practice.All tests and MRI scans were collected before and after the experiment.Results: Before the experiment,there was an edge significance differences of Self-rating Anxiety Scale between HYP group and WL group(t =-1.997,P = 0.053),and there was an edge significance in the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale,t =1.804,P = 0.076.In the post-treatment,compared with WL group,the average score of Self-rating Depression Scale of the HYP group was significantly decreased(t = 2.24,P= 0.02,df = 59),and the self-acceptance factor subscale was significantly increased(t =2.48,P = 0.01).Compared with the WL group,functional network connectivity analysis(FNC)showed that long-term Hypnotherapy decreased functional connection between Executive Control Network(ECN)and DMN,ECN and Salience Network(P <0.05 correction);T-test analysis of Resting state networks showed that Hypnotherapy could significantly enhance the activities of cingulate gyrus and Culmen(FWE cluster level correction,P < 0.001),and significantly weaken the activity of middle frontal gyrus(FWE voxel level correction,P < 0.05).Statistical analysis of Regional homogeneity(Re Ho)showed that Hypnotherapy significantly increased Re Ho value in right anterior central gyrus and right fusiform gyrus,decreased in left middle frontal gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus(FWE cluster level correction,P <0.001).Compared with the WL group,HPY showed decreased Re Ho value in right lingual gyrus and right superior temporal gyrus(FWE cluster level correction,P <0.001).Conclusion: Long-term hypnotic practice can improve self-acceptance and reduce depression.Hypnotic practice can change the activities of brain areas related to self-cognition and emotion production,and also change brain network connection.