Treatment with hypnotherapy reduces the sensory and motor component of the gastrocolonic response in irritable bowel syndrome

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis,  Oct 2004  

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Simrén, M., Ringström, G., Björnsson, E. S., & Abrahamsson, H. (2004). Treatment with hypnotherapy reduces the sensory and motor component of the gastrocolonic response in irritable bowel syndrome. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66, 233-238. Postprandial symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome are common and relate to an exaggerated motor and sensory component of the gastrocolonic response.

We investigated whether this response can be affected by hypnotherapy in 28 patients with irritable bowel syndrome refractory to other treatments. They were randomized to receive gut-directed hypnotherapy 1 hour per week for 12 weeks (N = 14) or were provided with supportive therapy (control group; N = 14). Before randomization and after 3 months, all patients underwent a colonie distension trial before and after a 1 hour duodenal lipid infusion. Colonie sensory thresholds and tonic and phasic motor activity were assessed. The results stated that before randomization, reduced thresholds after versus before lipid infusion were seen in both groups for all studied sensations. At 3 months, the colonie sensitivity before duodenal lipids did not differ between groups. Controls reduced their thresholds after duodenal lipids for gas, discomfort, and pain, whereas the hypnotherapy group reduced their thresholds after lipids only for pain. It was concluded that hypnotherapy reduces the sensory and motor component of the gastrocolonic response in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

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