Brain Stimulation Increases Susceptibility to Hypnosis, Offers Potential Pain Relief Alternative

Stanford researchers use transcranial magnetic stimulation in a study aiming to develop a safer alternative to opioids for chronic pain treatment.

Researchers at Stanford University have found that electrical brain stimulation can make people more susceptible to hypnosis, potentially offering a safer alternative to long-term opioid treatment for chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.
The study used a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the brain's executive control region, increasing communication with the brain's 'salience network', which is associated with attention to new stimuli.
The trial involved 80 patients with fibromyalgia who were 'low-to-mid-range' in hypnotizability. Those who received stimulation showed a significant increase in their hypnotizability score compared with the control group.
The effects of the stimulation lasted for only an hour, but the researchers believe that, with further refinement, the treatment could be useful for pain relief.
The researchers plan to test longer lengths of stimulation to see if they observe greater improvements in hypnotizability, with the ultimate goal of developing a clinical procedure that combines brain stimulation with hypnosis to reduce or eliminate pain.