Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a subconscious state of the mind marked by extreme relaxation, increased suggestibility, and heightened imagination. Or, any state of the mind that makes one more detached, more focused and more suggestible.
Studies using modern medical instruments such functional Magnetic Resonance Imagery (fMRI) machine, Electroencephalographic (EEG) machine and Proton Emission Tomographic (PET) machine have correlated hypnosis with detectable changes in brain waves, which tend toward theta waves with an experience akin to daydreaming, transcendental meditation or light sleep.
The Neuroanatomy of Hypnosis
The use of the modern instruments mentioned above has recently revealed that during hypnosis, activity increase in the occipital and the posterior parietal regions of each cerebral cortex of the brain.
A more recent study at Stanford University has correlated hypnosis with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, insula, medial prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate cortex.
The Neuropsychology of Hypnosis
Some persons hypothesize that during meditation, the subconscious mind dominates the concious mind, the right cerebral hemisphere dominates the left. The state of hypnosis can be likened to a state of transcendental meditation - though they are two different phenomena.
Hypnosis is produced by hypnotic induction -- particularly in those who have high scores in standard tests of hypnotic susceptibility.
However, in 1990 Price and Barrell proposed the following common elements of a hypnotic state:
A feeling of relaxation or inner calmness that must not be physical relaxation.
An absorbed and sustained focus of attention on one or few targets
An absence of judging, monitoring, and censoring.
A suspension of usual orientation toward time and location and/or sense of self.
One's own responses are experiences are automatic ( i.e. without deliberation or effort)
The Neurophysiology of Hypnosis
Some persons hypothesize that the communication between the left and right cerebral hemispheres dies down during hypnosis. Increase in brain theta waves is also recorded. This type of brain wave is associated with an experience akin to daydreaming and light sleep.
The study at Stanford University showed decrease in activity in dorsal anterior cingulate, increase in connection between two dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the insula, reduced connections between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the default mode network (DMN) comprising of the medial prefrontal and cingulate cortex, which may explain the disconnect between someone's actions and the awareness of their actions
Evidences gathered using visual analog scale show that the elements of hypnosis are interrelated, eliciting the belief that some of the elements are likely to be necessary for others.
The Relationship Between Hypnosis and Meditation
Both hypnosis and meditation shape modes of thought, behavior and experience in a continuum of conciousness.
Both hypnosis (self hypnosis) and meditation are used for self-discipline.
Differences Between Hypnosis and Meditation
Hypnosis is a phenomenon associated with illusion or hallucination, while meditation is a real and demystifying phenomenon. Hypnosis exploits deep relaxation to coax the mind to move from defensive to receptive posture, while meditation focuses the mind on a particular stimulus discarding others. Self hypnosis is specific and goal oriented, while meditation is a lifelong practice with nonspecific goals. In hypnosis, basically, there is loss of concious control of self to the source of hypnosis, as opposed to meditation.
How to Achieve Self hypnosis
Self hypnosis is a therapeutic kind of hypnosis exploited by an individual for the modification of behavior or other health purposes.
To learn how to induce self hypnosis visit: https://hypnosistrainingacademy.com
The Benefits of Self Hypnosis
Self hypnosis is exploited in the enhancement of memory by relieving anxiety and digging into the areas of the brain associated with memory through the rewiring of their neuronal networks. This process inhibits cognitive decline, ageing of the brain and memory loss. Hence, hypnosis comes in handy in the treatment of several brain diseases.
Self hypnosis also helps addicts to quit their unwanted behaviors that invariably impact their brains negatively.
Noteworthy is the fact that some drugs known as hypnotics can be used to induce hypnosis in the cause of treatment of some ailments such as relieving pain. But this should be based on prescription by a qualified physician, as they can cause serious cognitive imimpairment.
Festus C. Anaba, B Med.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Friday, February 1, 2019
NO MATTER YOUR AGE, YOU CAN STOP YOUR BRAIN FROM AGEING AND HIKE YOUR COGNITIVE POWER BY APPLYING THIS UNIQUE MODE OF REPETITION
Cognitive power is the ability to learn new things. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the range of phenomena called learning is more extensive at higher evolutionary levels. Therefore, no definition of learning is all-encompassing. But G. A. Kimble, in 1961 credibly defined learning as a relatively permanent change in behavioral potentiality that occurs as a result of reinforced practice. This is another way of saying that practice makes perfect. Learning has also been defined as the acquisition of information that makes change of behavior possible. It could still be aptly said to be an adaptive phenomenon that results in behavioral change. All these definitions are useful, but leave some problems yet.
Physiologically, learning is an electrochemical process in the brain associated with neuroplasticity that results in habituation. It involves changes in the strength of signals (action potential) transmitted from one brain cell (neuron) to another at the synapses.
Neuroplasticity implicates the myelination of the axons of the neurons, generation of new receptors on the dendrites and the release of more neurotransmitters at the axon terminals into the synaptic clefts of neuronal synapses.
The Anatomy (Cytology) of the Neuron
Understanding the effect of repetition on cognitive power of the brain may not be possible without the basic understanding of the structure of the brain cell - the neuron.
The neuron is an elongated kind of cell consisting of three major parts including:
The body with several spiked protrusions known as the dendrites is the head of the neuron.
The axon is an elongated middle part of the neuron. It is coated (insulated) with fat molecules known as myelin (myelination).
The tail region known as axon terminal houses the information-transmitting substances known as neurotransmitters.
The cell bodies of the neurons make up the grey matter of the brain, while the axons make up the white matter that support the grey matter.
The Physiology of the Neuron
As has been x-rayed in a previous blog titled "the neuron", stimuli are received by the neurons from the senses or in form of chemical signals at the synapses between neurons in the nervous system. The stimuli are received by the receptors at the dendrites, processed in the cell body, and transmitted as electrical impulses called action potential along the axon, causing the release of neurotransmitter at the axon terminal into the synaptic gap which stimulates the next neuron. The axons of the brain cells are myelinated, and get more myelinated with repeated stimulation.
Myelination
Myelination is the insulation of the neuronal axons with fatty acid molecules. It is similar to the insulation of electric cables with plastic coats. This increases the strength of the signals transmitted along the axons. The increase in the speed and strength of signals is correlated with with increase in cognitive power of an individual.
Intermittently Widened Spaced Reallyepetition
Because myelination is a kind of growth that takes place gradually over a relatively long period, many repetitions in a short time produces little or no effect. But when repetition is spaced out, it reinforces the mental strength of an individual and enhances the understanding and later recognition of the twists and turns of difficult tasks. This is to say that spaced repetition consolidates the information acquired. But to amplify the effect spaced repetition the gap between two intervals should be intermittently widened. The wider the gaps, the more profound the effect.
Studies have demonstrated that candidates who review a course severaly at spaced intervals perform better in examinations than those who crash through the course with several reviews in a short time before participating in the same examination.
Therefore, intermittently widened spaced repetition is the most effective kind of repetition.
Festus C. Anaba, B Med.
Physiologically, learning is an electrochemical process in the brain associated with neuroplasticity that results in habituation. It involves changes in the strength of signals (action potential) transmitted from one brain cell (neuron) to another at the synapses.
Neuroplasticity implicates the myelination of the axons of the neurons, generation of new receptors on the dendrites and the release of more neurotransmitters at the axon terminals into the synaptic clefts of neuronal synapses.
The Anatomy (Cytology) of the Neuron
Understanding the effect of repetition on cognitive power of the brain may not be possible without the basic understanding of the structure of the brain cell - the neuron.
The neuron is an elongated kind of cell consisting of three major parts including:
The body with several spiked protrusions known as the dendrites is the head of the neuron.
The axon is an elongated middle part of the neuron. It is coated (insulated) with fat molecules known as myelin (myelination).
The tail region known as axon terminal houses the information-transmitting substances known as neurotransmitters.
The cell bodies of the neurons make up the grey matter of the brain, while the axons make up the white matter that support the grey matter.
The Physiology of the Neuron
As has been x-rayed in a previous blog titled "the neuron", stimuli are received by the neurons from the senses or in form of chemical signals at the synapses between neurons in the nervous system. The stimuli are received by the receptors at the dendrites, processed in the cell body, and transmitted as electrical impulses called action potential along the axon, causing the release of neurotransmitter at the axon terminal into the synaptic gap which stimulates the next neuron. The axons of the brain cells are myelinated, and get more myelinated with repeated stimulation.
Myelination
Myelination is the insulation of the neuronal axons with fatty acid molecules. It is similar to the insulation of electric cables with plastic coats. This increases the strength of the signals transmitted along the axons. The increase in the speed and strength of signals is correlated with with increase in cognitive power of an individual.
Intermittently Widened Spaced Reallyepetition
Because myelination is a kind of growth that takes place gradually over a relatively long period, many repetitions in a short time produces little or no effect. But when repetition is spaced out, it reinforces the mental strength of an individual and enhances the understanding and later recognition of the twists and turns of difficult tasks. This is to say that spaced repetition consolidates the information acquired. But to amplify the effect spaced repetition the gap between two intervals should be intermittently widened. The wider the gaps, the more profound the effect.
Studies have demonstrated that candidates who review a course severaly at spaced intervals perform better in examinations than those who crash through the course with several reviews in a short time before participating in the same examination.
Therefore, intermittently widened spaced repetition is the most effective kind of repetition.
Festus C. Anaba, B Med.
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