Study on resting-state functional connectivity characteristics under hypnosis using functional near-infrared...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Hypnosis shows potential in treating mental health and cognitive disorders.
• The precise mechanisms of hypnosis on brain activity and functional connectivity are not fully understood.
• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a non-invasive method to study brain activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) under hypnosis using fNIRS.
• To explore how hypnosis influences brain activity and functional network connectivity.
• To assess changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity during hypnotic states.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-six healthy college students participated.
• Resting-state oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) data were collected from the PFC during control and hypnotic states.
• Functional connectivity strengths were analyzed to identify changes associated with deep hypnosis.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant differences in functional connectivity were found between control and hypnotic states in 10 out of 55 comparisons (p < 0.05).
• Increased connectivity was observed in 6 specific region pairs during hypnosis.
• Decreased connectivity was noted in 4 specific region pairs during hypnosis.

Conclusions:

• Hypnosis appears to modulate the function of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), PFC, and associated regions.
• Specific brain network functional connectivity is enhanced during hypnosis.
• Resting-state functional connectivity analysis with fNIRS is a valuable tool for studying hypnosis-related brain activity.