Our understanding relies on current research about its therapeutic potential. Recent research suggests that the process depends on both individual characteristics, the amount of resistance offered by the patient, and the skill of the therapist. Highly susceptible patients offer little resistance to the direction of the therapist and are more likely to engage in fantasy (Zhang et al., 2017). At deeper level GABA mediated by glutamate is more likely to play a part in responsiveness and suggestibility (DeSouza et al., 2020). There is a change in the DMN known for context monitoring and executive functions (Spiegel, 2013) leading to more reliance on verbal direction by the therapist. As the process becomes more involved there is an increased tendency for DMN deactivation (especially in the medio frontal portion) during relaxed periods, specifically there is a reduced coupling between DLPC (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and the PCC or the posterior cingulum (Jiang et al., 2016) producing moments of greater sense of clarity (Peter, 2024). The role of memory retrieval is questionable due to the influence of the therapist and the impact of other related memories. The role of hypnotherapy becomes to deal with remnants of a perceived memory and more importantly with the emotions evoked by the relevant memory. Despite this understanding, the true mechanism and how it works to effect outcome seems allusive.
Keywords: Hypnotherapy, Trance states, Visualization, Focus, Relaxed Focus.
Citation: Shadikhan, A. J. (2026). The Functional Foundation of Hypnotherapy in Current Research: A Brief Overview. J Psychol Neurosci; 8(3):1-3. DOI : https://doi.org/10.47485/2693-2490.1162