Hypnotic abreaction releases chaotic patterns of electrodermal activity during dissociation

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis,  Jan 2008  by Wickramasekera, Ian II

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Bob, P. (2007). Hypnotic abreaction releases chaotic patterns of electrodermal activity during dissociation. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 55(4), 435-456. The author presents a very interesting study of the psychophysiological characteristics associated with the phenomena of dissociation.

The study is very unique in that it attempts to utilize the methods and models of non-linear dynamics in its empirical analysis of the psychophysiology of dissociation. A number of authors have previously speculated that non-linear methods may in fact prove helpful in identifying phenomena of the unconscious that operate during empirical investigations of hypnosis and other complex mental phenomena. The author of this paper hoped that non-linear analysis might reveal in greater detail the critical events which accompany the experience and psychophysiological correlates of recalling a traumatic memory that had been previously dissociated. The author employed a measure of electrodermal activity (EDA) with bilateral sensor placement to examine the psychophysiological correlates of 2 patients recalling traumatic memories that had been previously dissociated. The patients began the procedure with a neutral hypnotic state induction which was compared to another hypnotic condition involving hypnotic revivification of a previously dissociated traumatic memory. The author found that there appeared to be a significantly higher amount of chaotic non-linear EDA during the hypnotically facilitated recall of the traumatic memory compared to the neutral hypnotic relaxation condition. The author suggests that his findings may indicate that a type of "neural chaos" (non-linear brain activity) may actually be important in the development of dissociative phenomena. Address for reprints: Petr Bob, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research of Traumatic Stress & Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Email address: physres@biomed.cas.cz.

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