| The feedback loop between the mind and body is | | | | the "adverbs and adjectives" applied to the imagery] |
| extremely strong. Consider the phantom limb | | | | of the neural signatures must overpower the weights |
| syndrome. When a person loses an arm or leg, the | | | | being used to encode the experience within the |
| related areas of the somatosensory cortex are still | | | | dysfunctional or unwanted physiological structures. |
| present. Additionally, as the insula plays an important | | | | The natural tendency to adapt will lead to the |
| role in sensing the body, it also plays a critical role in | | | | physiological structures morphing to respect the |
| the mind holding an awareness of the lost limb. | | | | demands of the mental imagery. This is the "science" |
| Clearly, the structure and activity within the brain | | | | behind all research regarding the use of imagery to |
| reflect structures present in the body. And since a | | | | heal somatic pathologies. This includes the Harvard |
| structure (i.e. a neuro-physiological pattern) is also | | | | Medical School wound healing studies (Ginandes et al., |
| integrated (i.e. receives input and provides feedback) | | | | 2003) discussed in the previous chapter and earlier in |
| with other non-neurological structures of the body, | | | | this one. |
| the state of one system is reflected in and is | | | | When somatic healing is required, the |
| somewhat a reflection of the states (i.e. weights of | | | | hypnotherapeutic operator must get specific |
| elements) of others. | | | | information concerning the results that are needed to |
| Returning back to the brain for a moment, the state | | | | complete the healing. One example of this would be |
| of any physiological system is related to specific | | | | the recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery. This |
| patterns of neural networks, neural pathologies (i.e. | | | | common one-day, outpatient surgery normally trims |
| substrates of the brain that are not functioning | | | | cartilage damaged during athletic or other activity. |
| properly), and the balance of cerebral energy among | | | | The tear causes an irritation resulting in knee pain. |
| and between substrates. This is important for two | | | | The jaggedness of the otherwise smooth joint leads |
| reasons. First, the existence of a specific pathology in | | | | to inflammation, which will never stop until the tear is |
| the body may be reflected in psychosomatic | | | | repaired. The procedure typically includes an incision |
| concerns such as anticipation and fear [e.g. the right | | | | and the use of a laser to cut away the torn cartilage. |
| orbitofrontal cortex (R-OFC), the anterior cingulate | | | | Healing involves a reduction in the inflammation, which |
| cortex (ACC), the insula, and elements of the limbic | | | | displays the body's conscious efforts to self-heal, and |
| system]. Add to this the synchronous relationship | | | | healing of the incision wound. The selected guided |
| between sectors of the somatosensory cortices and | | | | imagery should be that of the inflammation becoming |
| the affected physiological structure. However, since | | | | unnecessary and subsiding and of the healing of the |
| this relationship is synchronous, it stands to reason | | | | wound caused by the incision. |
| that a change in neural organization and functioning - | | | | While the use of imagery to affect something as |
| which can be called a "neural signature" - can affect a | | | | noticeable as the healing of wounds should be rather |
| physical structure. | | | | obvious, it is also logical that imagery could affect |
| There are several examples of this. For instance, a | | | | other organs and processes. In 2001, the author |
| person who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress | | | | participated in a discussion with Daniel Handel, MD, |
| Syndrome (PTSD) can experience an abreaction | | | | who at the time was working with the National |
| triggered by practically anything. For a war veteran | | | | Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine |
| the event or perception could be something as simple | | | | (NCCAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). |
| as mistaking a fire hydrant as a possible Improvised | | | | (Handel is currently with the NIH's palliative care |
| Explosive Device (IED). The anticipation that this | | | | department and continues to use hypnotherapy with |
| creates in the R-OFC then activates both the ACC | | | | terminally ill patients.) The topic was the efficacy of |
| and the amygdala. This "worry circuit" instigates a | | | | hypnosis for changing blood cholesterol levels. |
| fight/flight response in the limbic system (including the | | | | Although at this point there exists no published |
| hypothalamus) and signals the pituitary gland to start | | | | research covering such use of hypnosis, due to the |
| a sympathetic response. Blood flow then | | | | volume of anecdotal stories (and an increasing |
| concentrates in the major muscle groups and the | | | | interest among those in the research community) |
| heart. The organs of the viscera receive less | | | | involving the somatic effects of hypnosis, there was |
| nutrition, and the enteric nervous system signals for | | | | a consensus that the hypothesis had enough |
| the gastrointestinal organs to slow digestion activities. | | | | probability to warrant research. |
| The immune system is somewhat suppressed. Even | | | | By extending the logic derived from contemporary |
| the cells of the body may go into protection mode, | | | | research involving wound healing (Ginandes et al., |
| which entails the closing of the effector portals, | | | | 2003) and the effects of attention and visualization in |
| causing nutrition and reproduction to cease. This | | | | meditation (Luders et al., 2009; Vertergaard-Poulsen |
| entire process started due to a mental phenomenon | | | | et al., 2009), it is therefore reasonable to presume |
| - namely anticipation within the R-OFC. | | | | the relationship between healing and hypnosis. When |
| Brain signatures (i.e. the relative distribution of | | | | hypnosis involves relaxation, establishing a |
| cerebral blood) are reflected in pathologies in the rest | | | | parasympathetic growth mode is conducive to the |
| of the body. Georgetown University pharmacologist, | | | | body's efforts to heal. On the other hand, when |
| Candice Pert, PhD, (1997) insists that brain | | | | suggestion and imagery create a "mental model" or |
| dysfunction is related to somatic pathologies. This | | | | ideal, this causes the related physiological structures |
| two-way synchronous relationship dictates that when | | | | to seek to adapt. The patients in the Ginandes study |
| the body changes, the brain is affected and when | | | | - who imagined their mastectomy wounds healing |
| the brain changes, the body is affected. If imagery | | | | quickly and had a clear vision of the healed state - |
| and suggestion is used to change how the mind is | | | | showed considerable progress as compared to the |
| used, then the input from the brain should force an | | | | group that only used traditional treatment. |
| adaptation by specific physiological structures. | | | | Another aspect of the mind's impact on physiological |
| The specificity of the imagery is vital to the response | | | | healing involves the role of stem cells. Lipton (2005) |
| of the involved physiological structures. Starting in the | | | | discusses how DNA - which was previously |
| R-OFC, a mental image of the desired states (i.e. the | | | | considered fixed and non-adaptable - can change if |
| final results of the healing process) is communicated | | | | the input from the environment consists of a |
| to the section of the thalamus that responds to | | | | challenge to which its existing patterns cannot adapt. |
| R-OFC input. This in turn signals the ACC, the insula, | | | | This gene-level adaptation is known among |
| parts of the limbic system, the appropriate areas of | | | | researchers as epigenetics. When this process occurs |
| the somatosensory cortex, and other relevant brain | | | | in stem cells it may also encourage the cell to |
| structures to begin the therapeutic reorganization to | | | | replicate into a form that satisfies the demand (i.e. |
| match the desired outcome. This neural signature | | | | produces the type of cell needed). Stem cells are |
| then must become congruent with the physiological | | | | located throughout the entire body. They are also |
| patterns. This causes a disjuncture, as the current | | | | believed to exist within every significant substrate of |
| un-healed state of the affected area or organ does | | | | the neural system - a fact that further underlines the |
| not match the pattern being developed within the | | | | importance of neuroplasticity in allowing the brain to |
| brain. Again, the intensity of the elemental weights | | | | adapt to fit a situation. The act of stem cells creating |
| [i.e. the intensity of the emotions such as the | | | | new cells required to fit the demand for healing can |
| strength of the association (versus dissociation) are | | | | result in a reaction to imagery and suggestion. |