Entraining effects of variations in light spectral composition on the rest-activity rhythm of a nocturnal rodent.

The ability to predict and adjust physiology and behavior to recurring environmental events has been necessary for survival on Earth. Recent discoveries revealed that not only changes in irradiance but also light spectral composition can stimulate the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), ensuring the body's synchronization to the environment. Therefore, using a lighting system that modulates spectral composition during the day using combined red-green-blue (RGB) lights, we evaluated the effect of variations in light spectral composition on the rest-activity rhythm of rodents.

Relaxation versus fractionation as hypnotic deepening: do they differ in physiological changes?

After rapid hypnotic induction, 12 healthy volunteers underwent hypnotic deepening with relaxation or with fractionation (without relaxation) in a random latin-square protocol. Electroencephalographic occipital alpha activity was measured, low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography was performed, and hemodynamics (stroke volume, heart rate, cardiac output, mean arterial blood pressure, forearm arterial flow and resistance) were monitored in basal conditions and after deepening. After relaxation, both forearm flow (-18%) and blood pressure (-4%) decreased; forearm resistance remained unchanged.

Measured outcomes with hypnosis as an experimental tool in a cardiovascular physiology laboratory.

The authors detail their multidisciplinary collaboration of cardiologists, physiologists, neurologists, psychologists, engineers, and statisticians in researching the effects of hypnosis on the cardiovascular system and their additions to that incomplete literature. The article details their results and provides guidelines for researchers interested in replicating their research on hypnosis' effect on the cardiovascular system.

Neurophysiological correlates of post-hypnotic alexia: a controlled study with Stroop test.

To clarify whether hypnotically-induced alexia was able to reduce the Stroop effect due to color/word interference, 12 volunteers (6 with high and 6 with low hypnotizability according to Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale Form C) underwent a Stroop test consisting of measuring, both in basal conditions and during post-hypnotic alexia, the reaction times (RT) at appearance of a colored word indicating a color. In basal conditions, RT were greater in case of incongruence. In highly hypnotizable participants, the interference was less pronounced during post-hypnotic alexia (-34%, p = 0.

Hypnosis prevents the cardiovascular response to cold pressor test.

To highlight the effects of hypnotic focused analgesia (HFA), 20 healthy participants underwent a cold pressor test (CPT) in waking basal conditions (WBC) by keeping the right hand in icy water until tolerable (pain tolerance); subjective pain was quantified by visual scale immediately before extracting the hand from water. The test was then repeated while the participants were under hypnosis and underwent HFA suggestions. Cardiovascular parameters were continuously monitored.

Local and systemic vasodilation following hypnotic suggestion of warm tub bathing.

During hypnosis it is easy to induce hallucinations having, for the hypnotized subject, the characteristics and the concreteness of reality. This study was performed to put in evidence the physical effects of hypnotic suggestion of warm tub bathing. 18 volunteers screened for high hypnotizability were studied.