How hypnosis affect your brain

Though many people associate hypnotism with second-rate magicians, the practice is in fact supported by a large number of clinicians and neuroscientists who see it as a powerful tool to hack the minds of patients suffering from psychological and psychosomatic disorders. Yet in order to get the best results out of this strange yet apparently effective trick, it’s vital to know exactly how it effects the brain, which is why a team of researchers from Stanford University has conducted a new study looking at which brain regions are most altered by hypnosis, publishing their findings in the journal Cerebral Cortex.

Can you find the phone in this photo? It is driving people insane!!

Scientists identify the brain's fear frequency

Ever wondered why you get chills down your spine each time you sit in the dentist’s chair or strap yourself into a rollercoaster? They're produced by a conditioned fear response, which can be learned following a bad experience and recalled whenever certain stimuli relating to that event present themselves. While this concept is certainly nothing new, scientists have for the first time identified a particular brainwave that appears to regulate this response, potentially opening the door to new treatments for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

The brain’s ability to learn and recall conditioned behaviors was famously illustrated by Ivan Pavlov and his slobbery dogs in the 19th century, and numerous subsequent studies have revealed how this phenomenon can be manipulated to elicit fear as well as hunger. Rodents, for instance, can easily be trained to freeze upon hearing a tone that they have come to associate with an aversive experience such as pain.

Watch this video closely and see what happens.

Do you want to know how it feels to see the world on LSD?