A number of brain-imaging
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With the recent advent of new brain imaging techniques (chiefly magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], with EEG and positron emission tomography [PET] contributing to a lesser extent) there has been a resurgence of interest in the relationship between hypnosis and brain function. Any human experience is reflected in some way in the brain ? seeing colors or motion is underscored by activity in the visual cortex, feeling fear is mediated by activity in the amygdala ? and so hypnosis and suggestion are expected to have observable effects upon brain function. An important issue for researchers conducting brain imaging is to separate the effects of hypnosis and suggestion ? knowing that a suggestion given during hypnosis affects brain area X does not just tell us about hypnosis, it tells us about the effects of the suggestion too. To account for this, experiments need to include a non-hypnotic-response-to-suggestion condition ?only this way can the specific effects of hypnosis be examined.
A number of brain-imaging studies have been conducted on hypnotized subjects. A selection of these studies are explained and summarized below: