Brain Wave Patterns Accompanying Changes in Sleep and Wakefulness During Hypnosis

Abstract

As one aspect of a study of organism-environment integration, EEG''s were obtained from epileptic patients, from students and from physicians during hypnosis. Needle electrodes were employed and bipolar recordings were made from frontal, parietal and occipital areas. All subjects had "alpha dominant" brain wave patterns. The objective was to determine if changes in brain wave pattern "would accompany modification of the scope and intensity of an individual''s relationship with his environment during hypnosis." The mere inducing of hypnosis itself did not alter the brain wave pattern. While in hypnosis the EEG patterns changed: (1) during suggested sensory experiences; (2) during the latent period between a suggestion and a delayed reaction; (3) with suggestions altering the "meaning" of the existent context; (4) with limiting of the subject''s field of environmental contact. When ordinary type sleep is brought about in hypnosis, the brain wave pattern is similar to that which occurs in normal sleep. It is concluded that hypnosis is a special form of organism-environment integration.