Hypnosis and meditation
Much interest has been paid to the relationship between hypnosis and other altered states of consciousness. Since meditation and hypnosis share some phenomenological characteristics research has been directed at identifying common underlying patterns of brain activity.
Halsband et al 1 used EEG to compare the brain activity of a participant undergoing hypnosis or practicing Tibetan Buddhist meditation. They do not indicate what the participant was doing in hypnosis or meditation (potentially experiencing relaxation and allowing the mind to wander, hopefully similar instructions in both conditions). In hypnosis increases were observed i the alpha power band in the central and temporal locations. In the meditation condition alpha increase was observed in the frontal cortex. Increased activity in the theta power band was observed in hypnosis but not in meditation.
