TY - JOUR
T1 - Physiological effects of emotion
T2 - assessment via hypnosis
AU - Whorwell, P. J.
AU - Houghton, L. A.
AU - Taylor, E. E.
AU - Maxton, D. G.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by a grant from the North West Regional Health Authority. We thank Mr Brian Farragher for the statistical analysis.
Copyright:
Copyright 2015 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1992/7/11
Y1 - 1992/7/11
N2 - Assessment of the physiological effects of physical and emotional stress has been hampered by a lack of suitable laboratory techniques. Since hypnosis can be used safely to induce specific emotional states of considerable intensity, we studied the effect on distal colonic motility of three hypnotically induced emotions (excitement, anger, and happiness) in 18 patients aged 20-48 years with irritable bowel syndrome. Colonic motility index was reduced by hypnosis on its own (mean change 19·1; 95% Cl 0·8, 37·3; p<0·05) and this change was accompanied by decreases in both pulse (12; 8, 15) and respiration (6; 4, 8) rates (p<0·001 for both). Anger and excitement increased the colonic motility index (50·8; 29·4, 72·2; and 30·4; 8·9, 51·9, respectively; p<0·01 for both), pulse rate (26; 22, 30; and 28; 24, 32; p<0·001 for both), and respiration rate (14; 12, 16; and 12; 10, 14; p<0·001 for both). Happiness further reduced colonic motility although not significantly from that observed during hypnosis alone. Changes in motility were mainly due to alterations in rate than in amplitude of contractions. Our results indicate that hypnosis may help in the investigation of the effects of emotion on physiological functions; this approach could be useful outside the gastrointestinal system. Our observation that hypnosis strikingly reduces fasting colonic motility may partly explain the beneficial effects of this form of therapy in functional bowel disorders.
AB - Assessment of the physiological effects of physical and emotional stress has been hampered by a lack of suitable laboratory techniques. Since hypnosis can be used safely to induce specific emotional states of considerable intensity, we studied the effect on distal colonic motility of three hypnotically induced emotions (excitement, anger, and happiness) in 18 patients aged 20-48 years with irritable bowel syndrome. Colonic motility index was reduced by hypnosis on its own (mean change 19·1; 95% Cl 0·8, 37·3; p<0·05) and this change was accompanied by decreases in both pulse (12; 8, 15) and respiration (6; 4, 8) rates (p<0·001 for both). Anger and excitement increased the colonic motility index (50·8; 29·4, 72·2; and 30·4; 8·9, 51·9, respectively; p<0·01 for both), pulse rate (26; 22, 30; and 28; 24, 32; p<0·001 for both), and respiration rate (14; 12, 16; and 12; 10, 14; p<0·001 for both). Happiness further reduced colonic motility although not significantly from that observed during hypnosis alone. Changes in motility were mainly due to alterations in rate than in amplitude of contractions. Our results indicate that hypnosis may help in the investigation of the effects of emotion on physiological functions; this approach could be useful outside the gastrointestinal system. Our observation that hypnosis strikingly reduces fasting colonic motility may partly explain the beneficial effects of this form of therapy in functional bowel disorders.
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U2 - 10.1016/0140-6736(92)90394-I
DO - 10.1016/0140-6736(92)90394-I
M3 - Article
C2 - 1352012
AN - SCOPUS:0026741547
SN - 0140-6736
VL - 340
SP - 69
EP - 72
JO - The Lancet
JF - The Lancet
IS - 8811
ER -