Gifted people can hallucinate at will
Friday December 2nd, 2011
Some people can “hallucinate colours at will” - and this may indicate an innate ability to handle pain, a study by the University of Hull, UK, has found.
The
process is thought to be a kind of self-hypnosis and researchers say those
with the ability are "very talented".
A group of people were able to see colour in a series of monochrome patterns, both under hypnosis and without hypnosis.
The study, published this week in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, was carried out in the Department of Psychology.
Participants’ reactions to the patterns were also captured using an MRI scanner, which enabled the researchers to monitor differences in brain activity between the suggestible and non-suggestible subjects.
The results showed significant changes in brain activity in areas of the brain responsible for visual perception among the suggestible subjects only.
Professor Giuliana Mazzoni, lead researcher on the project says: “These are very talented people. They can change their perception and experience of the world in ways that the rest of us cannot.”
Research has already shown that hypnotic suggestions can be used to block pain and increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
It was assumed that hypnosis was needed for the effects to occur, but this new study suggests this is not the case.
While hypnosis appears to heighten individuals’ ability to see colour, the suggestible participants could report seeing colours and were able to change their brain activity without it, according to he results of the MRI scans.
Dr William McGeown, who also contributed to the study, says: “Many people are afraid of hypnosis, although it appears to be very effective in helping with certain medical interventions, particularly pain control. The work we have been doing shows that certain people may benefit from suggestion without the need for hypnosis.”
The study, which was partially funded by the BBC, used a control group formed of less suggestible people, or people less likely to respond to hypnosis. It was found that this group of people were not able to hallucinate colour and, again, these reported results were supported by MRI scans.
Suggested visual hallucination without hypnosis enhances activity in visual areas of the brain?, by William J. McGeown, Annalena Venneri, Irving Kirsch, Luca Nocetti, Kathrine Roberts, Lisa Foan, and Giuliana Mazzoni, is published online in Consciousness and Cognition. DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2011.10.015
Tags: Brain & Neurology | General Health | Pain Relief | UK News
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