Hypno-Analgesia and Acupuncture Analgesia: a Neurophysiological Reality?

Abstract

The effects of hypnosis, acupuncture and analgesic drugs on the subjective experience of pain and on objective neurophysiological parameters were investigated. Pain was produced by brief electric stimuli on the wrist. Pain challengers were: hypnosis (induced by two different video tapes), acupuncture (at specific and unspecific loci, with and without electrical stimulation of the needles), morphine and ketamine. Evaluation of clinical parameters included the subjective experience of pain intensity, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, psychosomatic symptoms and side effects. Neurophysiological parameters consisted of the quantitatively analyzed EEG and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP). Pain was significantly reduced by hypnosis, morphine and ketamine, but not during the control session. Of the four acupuncture techniques, only electro-acupuncture at specific loci significantly decreased pain. The EEG changes during hypnosis were dependent on the wording of the suggestion and were characterized by an increase of slow and a decrease of fast waves. Acupuncture induced just the opposite changes, which were most significant when needles were inserted at traditional specific sites and stimulated electrically. The evoked potential findings suggested that ketamine attenuates pain in the thalamocortical pathways, while hypnosis, acupuncture and morphine induce analgesia at the later CNS stage of stimulus processing. Finally some clinical-neurophysiological correlations were explored.

Electroencephalography and analgesics

“…found no significant alterations in the spontaneous EEG to 10 mg i.m. morphine . In contrast to these findings, Lötsch et al .…”

EEG Source Localization and Global Dimensional Complexity in High- and Low- Hypnotizable Subjects: A Pilot Study

“…Higher power in the theta frequency band in high than low hypnotizables was reported by several groups [8][9][10][11][12], but no difference was found by others [13,14]. Power differences in other frequency bands were reported less often; more beta activity occipitally right was found in high than low hypnotizables [15] and a positive correlation between hypnotizability and 20-60 Hz activity [16] was reported, while as early as 1971, more power in all bands was reported for high hypnotizables [17]. More gamma band power (around 40 Hz) was found occipitally in high than low hypnotizables [18]; more specifically, more gamma power over right than left hemispheric areas [12] and more gamma power at parieto-midline-to-right temporal areas [19] was reported for high than low hypnotizables.…”

A Pilot Study of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain During Manual and Electroacupuncture Stimulation of Acupuncture Point (LI-4 Hegu) in Normal Subjects Reveals Differential Brain Activation Between Methods

“…Both acupuncture modalities are believed to have clinical efficacy, however, many research studies suggest that they work through different neural mechanisms. For instance, the two modalities have significantly different effects on electroencephologram (EEG), salivary flow rate, and neurotransmitter release in the central nervous system (Bucinskaite et al, 1994;Dawidson et al, 1997;Saletu et al, 1975).…”