The use of hypnosis in medicine: the possible pathways involved

Hypnosis has been used for many years in the treatment of various medical conditions. Its beneficial effects may be purely subjective at least in some instances such as pain relief, but physiological changes have been observed or measured in others. This article considers the possible pathways which may be involved in mediating such changes, through the concept of mind-body communication, in terms of central nervous system activity, together with autonomic function, neuropeptides and hormones.