The means by which information can be transmitted in hypnosis are debated. Aim of this pilot study was to induce and maintain hypnosis without the hypnotist and the subject being in the same room. In other words, we wanted to clarify, using measurable outcomes, if the hypnotic message could be conveyed through an electronic device. We studied 6 young healthy highly hypnotizable volunteers. After a session aimed at creating the rapport , each participant underwent an experimental session consisting in the execution of a cold pressor test (CTP) in basal awake condition, during hypnotic focused analgesia in the presence of the hypnotist (HFA-P) and during hypnotic focused analgesia suggested via transceiver (HFA-R). Cardiovascular monitoring was performed throughout the session. Perceived pain intensity and hemodynamic parameters during the CPT (baseline, 1 st minute, end of the test) in the three phases of the experimental session were compared with paired t-test. During both HFA-P and HFA-R, perceived pain was nullified. The times of permanence in icy water significantly increased in comparison to non-hypnotic condition by 369.2% in HFA-P and by 394.3% in HFA-R. The systolic blood pressure × heart rate product increased in non-hypnotic conditions (+27.8%, p < 0.01, at the 1 st minute; +35.3%, p = 0.01, at the end) but not during HFA-P (-1% and -0.2%, NS) or HFA-R (+7.3% and -1.6%, NS). In conclusion, hypnosis induced and maintained via transceiver was equivalent to that in the presence of the hypnotist. The hypnotic information therefore turned out to be more important than the means chosen to transmit it.
Beevi, Z., Low, W. Y., & Hassan, J. (2017). The Effectiveness of Hypnosis Intervention for Labor: An Experimental Study. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 60, 172-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2017.1280659
Butcher, J. N., & Williams, C. L. (1989). Fondamenti per l’interpretazione del MMPI-2 e del PI-A. Firenze: Organizzazioni Speciali Giunti.
Cooperman, S., & Schafer, D. W. (1983). Hypnotherapy over the Telephone. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 25, 277-279. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1983.10404115
Casiglia, E. (Ed.) (2015). Trattato d’ipnosi e altre modificazioni di coscienza. Padova: CLEUP.
Casiglia, E., Mazza, A., Ginocchio, G., Onesto, C., Pessina, A.C., Rossi, A., Marotti, A., et al. (1997). Haemodynamics Following Real and Hypnosis-Simulated Phlebotomy. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 40, 368-375. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1997.10403405
Casiglia, E., Rempelou, P., Tikhonoff, V., Giacomello, M., Finatti, F., Albertini, F., Facco, E., et al. (2016). Hypnotic Focused Analgesia Obtained through Body Dysmorphism Prevents Both Pain and Its Cardiovascular Effects. Sleep and Hypnosis, 19, 89-95. https://doi.org/10.5350/Sleep.Hypn.2016.18.0127
Casiglia, E., Rempelou, P., Tikhonoff, V., Guidotti, F., Pergher, V., Giordano, N., Facco, E., et al. (2015). Hypnotic General Anesthesia vs. Focused Analgesia in Preventing Pain and Its Cardiovascular Effects. ATINER’S Conference Paper Series, INM2015-1638.
Casiglia, E., Rossi, A., Tikhonoff, V., Scarpa, R., Tibaldeschi, G., Giacomello, M., Lapenta, A. M., et al. (2006). Local and Systemic Vasodilation Following Hypnotic Suggestion of Warm Tub Bathing. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 62, 60-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2006.01.012
Casiglia, E., Schiavon, L., Tikhonoff, V., Haxhi Nasto, H., Azzi, M., Rempelou, P., Rossi, A. M., et al. (2007). Hypnosis Prevents the Cardiovascular Response to Cold Pressor Test. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 49, 255-266. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2007.10524503
Casiglia, E., Schiff, S., Facco, E., Gabbana, A., Tikhonoff, V., Schiavon, L., Amodio, P., et al. (2010). Neurophysiological Correlates of Post-Hypnotic Alexia. A Controlled Study with Stroop Test. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 52, 219-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.2010.10401721
Casiglia, E., Tikhonoff, V., Giordano, N., Andreatta, E., Regaldo, G., Tosello, M.T., Facco, E., et al. (2012). Measured Outcomes with Hypnosis as an Experimental Tool in a Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 60, 241-261. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2012.648078
Casiglia, E., Tikhonoff, V., Giordano, N., Regaldo, G., Facco, E., Marchetti, P., Amodio, P., et al. (2012). Relaxation versus Fractionation as Hypnotic Deepening: Do They Differ in Physiological Changes? International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 60, 241-261. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2012.648078
Chaves, J. F., & Dworkin, S. F. (1997). Hypnotic Control of Pain: Historical Perspectives and Future Prospects. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 45, 356-376. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207149708416138
Demertzi, A., Soddu, A., Faymonville, M. E., Bahri, M. A., Gosseries, O., Vanhaudenhuyse, A., Laureys, S., et al. (2011). Hypnotic Modulation of Resting State fMRI Default Mode and Extrinsic Network Connectivity. Progress in Brain Research, 193, 309-322. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53839-0.00020-X
De Pascalis, V., Russo, O., & Marrucci, F. S. (2000). Italian Norms for the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 48, 44-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207140008410360
Douglas, P. K., Pisani, M., Reid, R., Head, A., Lau, E., Mirakhor, E., & Cohen, M. S. (2014). Method for Simultaneous fMRI/EEG Data Collection during a Focused Attention Suggestion for Differential Thermal Sensation. Journal of Visualized Experiments, No. 83, e3298. https://doi.org/10.3791/3298
Du Bois, D., & Du Bois, E. F. (1926). A Formula to Estimate the Approximate Surface area if Height and Weight Be Known. Archives of Internal Medicine, 17, 863-871.
Facco, E., Casiglia, E., Masiero, S., Tikhonoff, V., Giacomello, M., & Zanette, G. (2011). Effects of Hypnotic Focused Analgesia on Dental Pain Threshold. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 59, 454-468. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2011.594749
Giordano, N., Tikhonoff, V., Tosello, M. T., Lapenta, A. M., & Casiglia, E. (2012). An Experimental Approach to Hypnotic Age Regression: Controlled Study over 10 Healthy Participants. Contemporary Hypnosis & Integrative Therapy, 29, 271-283.
Granone, F. (1972). Trattato di ipnosi. Torino: UTET.
Gravitz, M. A. (1983). Early Use of the Telephone and Recordings in Hypnosis. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 25, 280-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1983.10404116
Griffiths, M. J. (2017). The Role of Hypnotherapy in Evidence-Based Clinical Practice. Oral Diseases, 23, 420-423. https://doi.org/10.1111/odi.12532
Hathaway, S. R., & McKinley, J. C. (1985). Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 Manual. Firenze: Organizzazioni Speciali Giunti.
Häuser, W., Hagl, M., Schmierer, A., & Hansen, E. (2016). The Efficacy, Safety and Applications of Medical Hypnosis. A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 113, 289-296.
Hosseinzadegan, F., Radfar, M., Shafiee-Kandjani, A. R., & Sheikh, N. (2017). Efficacy of Self-Hypnosis in Pain Management in Female Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 65, 86-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2017.1246878
International Database on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Relation to Cardiovascular Outcomes (IDACO) Investigators (2013). Double Product Reflects the Predictive Power of Systolic Pressure in the General Population: Evidence from 9,937 Participants. American Journal of Hypertension, 26, 665-672.
Iserson, K. V. (2014). An Hypnotic Suggestion: Review of Hypnosis for Clinical Emergency Care. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 46, 588-596. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.09.024
Jaynes, J. (1976). The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Landry, M., Lifshitz, M., & Raz, A. (2017). Brain Correlates of Hypnosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analytic Exploration. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Review, 81, 75-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.020
McGeown, W. J., Mazzoni, G., Vannucci, M., & Venneri, A. (2015). Structural and Functional Correlates of Hypnotic Depth and Suggestibility. Psychiatry Research, 231, 151-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2014.11.015
Mitchell, L. A., MacDonald, R. A. R., & Brodie, E. E. (2004). Temperature and the Cold Pressor Test. Journal of Pain, 5, 233-238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2004.03.004
Müller, K., Bachta, K., Schrammb, S., & Seitza, R. J. (2012). The Facilitating Effect of Clinical Hypnosis on Motor Imagery: An fMRI Study. Behavioural Brain Research, 231, 164-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2012.03.013
Owens, H. E. (1970). Hypnosis by Phone. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 13, 57-60. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1970.10402078
Peckerman, A., Saab, P. G., Llabre, M. M., Hurwitz, B. E., McCabe, P. M., & Schneiderman, N. (1998). Cardiovascular and Perceptual Effects of Reporting Pain during the Foot and Forehead Cold Pressor Tests. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 5, 106-117. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm0502_2
Raz, A., Fan, J., & Posner, M. I. (2005). Hypnotic Suggestion Reduces Conflict in the Human Brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 102, 9978-9983. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0503064102
Roberts, J. A. (1978) Hypnosis by Telephone. Medical Journal of Australia, 2, 158-160.
Sevre, K., & Rostrup, M. (1999). Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Responses to Cold Pressor Test in Patients Admitted to Hospital Due to Chest Pain. Blood Pressure, 8, 110-113. https://doi.org/10.1080/080370599438284
Sharav, Y., & Tal, M. (2004). Focused Analgesia and Generalized Relaxation Produce Differential Hypnotic Analgesia in Response to Ascending Stimulus Intensity. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 52, 187-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2003.10.001
Shor, R. E., & Orne, E. C. (1963). Norms on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, form A. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 11, 39-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207146308409226
Stanton, H. E. (1978). Hypnotherapy at a Distance through Use of the Telephone. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 20, 278-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1978.10403945
Stewart, J. H. (2005). Hypnosis in Contemporary Medicine. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 80, 511-524. https://doi.org/10.4065/80.4.511
Tikhonoff, V., Azzi, D., Boschetti, G., Giordano, N., Rempelou, P., Giacomello, M., & Casiglia, E. (2012). Increase of Isometric Performance via Hypnotic Suggestion: Experimental Study over 10 Young Healthy Volunteers. Contemporary Hypnosis & Integrative Therapy, 29, 352-362.
Tikhonoff, V., Senzolo, M., Lapenta, A. M., Palatini, P., & Casiglia, E. (2017). Hypnotic Hallucination of Body Heating Modifies Splanchnic Circulation: Haemodynamic and Ultrasonographic Pilot Study in Normal Volunteers. Sleep and Hypnosis. https://doi.org/10.5350/Sleep.Hypn.2017.19.0132
Van Nuys, D. (1977). Successful Treatment of Sacroiliac Pain by Telephone. A Brief Clinical Report. Journal of the American Society of Psychosomatic Dentistry and Medicine, 24, 73-75.
White, W. B. (1999). Heart Rate and the Rate-Pressure Product as Determinants of Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Hypertension. American Journal of Hypertension, 12, 50s-55s. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0895-7061(98)00280-5