Pain control and hypnosis: The Neurocritic

The Neurocritic concludes a compelling series of posts on neuroimaging and hypnosis with a look at hypnosis and pain control:

What hypnosis does is to increase activity in the ACC [anterior cingulate cortex], which may then downregulate activity in the sensory regions (see also Faymonville et al., 2000). 1

Would I have surgery under hypnosis?

Meurisse M, Defechereux T, Hamoir E, Maweja S, Marchettini P, Gollogly L, Degauque C, Joris J, Faymonville ME. (1999). Hypnosis with conscious sedation instead of general anaesthesia? Applications in cervical endocrine surgery. Acta Chir Belg. 99:151-8.

Uh, NO!

1 Functional connectivity analysis methods DO NOT prove causality, although some practitioners might want to believe otherwise.

Many interesting references along with way cool ALE meta-analysis images mapping pain that The Neurocritic generated from BrainMap's fMRI database.

The whole series:

I Suggest...Neuroimaging Studies of Hypnosis
Hypnosis and Consciousness
Hypnosis and Genetics
Hypnosis and Pain Control