Aperiodic activity as a central neural feature of hypnotic susceptibility outside of hypnosis
bioRxiv – November 16, 2023
Source: medRxiv/bioRxiv/arXiv
Summary
Hypnotic susceptibility varies widely among individuals, and this study uncovers its neural basis. By analyzing EEG data, researchers discovered that specific brain activity patterns, particularly the 1/f slope at rest, predict how responsive someone is to hypnosis. This insight highlights the role of brain balance in susceptibility, paving the way for innovative clinical applications.
Abstract
How well a person responds to hypnosis is a stable trait, which exhibits considerable inter-individual diversity across the general population. Yet, its neural underpinning remains elusive. Here, we address this gap by combining EEG data, multivariate statistics, and machine learning in order to identify brain patterns that differentiate between individuals high and low in susceptibility to hypnosis. In particular, we computed the periodic and aperiodic components of the EEG power spectrum, as well as graph theoretical measures derived from functional connectivity, from data acquired at rest (pre-induction) and under hypnosis (post-induction). We found that the 1/f slope of the EEG spectrum at rest was the best predictor of hypnotic susceptibility. Our findings support the idea that hypnotic susceptibility is a trait linked to the balance of cortical excitation and inhibition at baseline and offers novel perspectives on the neural foundations of hypnotic susceptibility. Future work can explore the contribution of background 1/f activity as a novel target to distinguish the responsiveness of individuals to hypnosis at baseline in the clinic.