Experimental Approach to the Transmission of Information in Hypnosis

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 con-veyed through an electronic device. We studied 6 young healthy highly hyp-notizable volunteers. After a session aimed at creating the rapport, each par-ticipant 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 fo-cused analgesia suggested via transceiver (HFA-R). Cardiovascular monitor-ing was performed throughout the session. Perceived pain intensity and he-modynamic parameters during the CPT (baseline, 1stminute, 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 condi-tions (+27.8%, p < 0.01, at the 1st 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 viatransceiver 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.