Hypnosis has a "very real" the brain, which can be detected by scanners, say scientists at the University of Hull, England.
Until now there has been much skepticism about whether there is a hypnotic state.
hypnotized A volunteer study in computer imaging showed changes in the parts of the brain associated with daydreaming and imagination.
These brain patterns, say the researchers, were not present in participants who took part in the tests but were not susceptible to hypnosis.
As experts say, the study published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition (Consciousness and Cognition) supports the theory that hypnosis "primes" the brain to be willing to suggestion.
Hypnosis is a technique increasingly used to help people quit smoking or lose weight, and the United Kingdom some experts recently recommended its use in the NHS to treat patients with irritable bowel syndrome .
However, as researchers say, there is still much skepticism about whether there is called "hypnotic state."
more susceptible is not the first time that scientists try to use techniques of functional magnetic resonance imaging to monitor brain activity in people who have been hypnotized.
But Hull's team says that in the past, studies were carried out while hypnotized people perform certain tasks, so it was unclear whether changes in the brain were due to the act of making a work or effect of hypnosis.
This shows that changes in the brain caused by hypnosis rather than the simple relaxation. Our study shows that hypnosis is real
Dr. Michael McGeown
In recent research, the team first analyzed how the participants responded to hypnosis and selected ten individuals who were "highly likely" and seven who had not responded to the technique, apart from being more relaxed.
subsequently asked participants to carry out a task while they were under hypnosis-like music that does not exist, and did not know who was monitoring their brain activity even in the rest periods between jobs.
The researchers also performed brain scans of participants without hypnotic induction in order to compare the states of rest in and out of hypnosis.
The results showed that in the "highly likely" there was reduced activity in the brain region involved in the daydream and let your imagination run wild, what is known as the network of "default mode" (MND, their acronym in English) that is activated when the individual is not focused on the outside world and the brain is at rest, but awake.
relaxation
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is believed that hypnosis works "shutting" the DMN, which leaves the brain free to concentrate on other tasks.
hypnosis is thought to work by closing the "default mode network."
As stated by Dr. William McGeown, professor of psychology at the University of Hull, who led the study, the results are "unambiguous" because only the individuals were highly susceptible to hypnosis.
"This shows that changes in the brain due to the hypnosis and not just plain relaxing. Our study shows that hypnosis is real," says the researcher.
Meanwhile, Dr Michael Heap, clinical and forensic psychologist based in Sheffield, England, says that this experiment is the first to show brain patterns that support the theory that hypnosis works to "prepare" the subject to more effectively respond to suggestions.
"Even more important is that the data confirm that the relaxation is not a critical factor, "he adds.
" The limited data from this study suggests that this pattern of activity then dissipates (at least to some extent) once individuals begin to engage with the suggestions that are given ".
However, the psychologist says that this small study that requires confirmation with other populations, does not prove that people are being hypnotized is in a true" trance ".
* Source: BBcmundo
