The Genetics of Hypnosis

Article

18 Oct

Our ability to accomplish desired changes with hypnosis is related to our DNA. It might affect how we experience pain, how we approach social bonding, and how we experience psychological stress.

How do genetics and hypnotizability affect one another?

In other words, how does our DNA affect our responses to hypnotic suggestions and vice versa?

Let’s dive in.

First, let’s get clear on genes.

We all know we’re made up of unique genes, but what makes them unique?

The cells in our bodies store information about their structure and function in the form of a chain of molecule sequences, known as DNA. Our DNA is made up of our genetic code. The small differences in each of our DNA make each of us slightly different from one another.

Long DNA chains are divided into “genes” which contain instructions about how to build, adjust, and change specific functions of specific cells. Each gene is tailored to a particular cell.

Another way we are different from each other that affects the results of hypnosis is hypnotizability. Everyone has a unique hypnotizability profile, sometimes called “hypnotic ability.” It reflects your unique brain style and inherent strengths.

Hypnotizability is our individual ability to experience physiological, sensory, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes in response to suggestions given during hypnosis. We invite you to take a deep dive into this topic in our post on hypnotizability if you’d like to learn more!

How Does Genetics Affect Hypnotizability?

When specific changes in DNA appear to repeat frequently enough across people, we call them “polymorphisms.” Our hypnotizability is related to polymorphisms in several genes.

The Genetics of Hypnosis for Pain

Remember, polymorphisms are specific DNA changes shared among a portion of the population. There are polymorphisms in genes that play a role in our experience of pain.

Opioids are a family of pain-relieving substances. They can be created by the body or taken as a drug. Either way, they work by attaching to a receptor. The Poet hypnotizability profile is associated with a polymorphism in the main opioid receptor gene that reduces the effectiveness of opioids. This finding, along with the strong link between The Poet brain style and stronger effects of hypnosis for pain, suggests that hypnosis reduces pain by other means than the internal opioid system. A study showed that blocking pain via hypnosis persisted even when a drug that blocks and reverses the pain-reducing effects of opioids was administered, providing further support for this idea.

One way hypnosis can reduce pain is through the endocannabinoid system. One study suggests that hypnotizability is associated with the likelihood of having a polymorphism that weakens a gene responsible for the process of deconstructing anandamide, which is one of the main neurotransmitters of the endocannabinoid system. This suggests that individuals with The Poet hypnotizability profile can experience greater pain reduction via the endocannabinoid system than individuals with The Researcher brain style.

Learn more about the science of hypnosis in our Science section. We have curated several research papers on the different ways hypnosis can improve the lives of people all around the world.

Genes and Social Interaction

Our susceptibility to hypnotic suggestions is also related to polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor gene. Oxytocin is a hormone that facilitates social bonding and is often referred to as “the love hormone.”

Hypnosis may work better in individuals with greater oxytocin levels, due to their experience of reduced social anxiety, increased trust, and enhanced ability to respond to social cues. This would be due to the nature of hypnosis, being something we do with the help of a clinical hypnotherapist. Being able to trust and respond to their suggestions is a key element to achieving desired changes!

Physiological and Psychological Stress

Psychological stress contributes to the dysfunction of the inner lining of our blood vessels by weakening their ability to control blood flow. This is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Hypnosis can reduce the psychological impact of stressors, thereby decreasing their effects on our vascular system!

Can hypnosis change gene expression?

Our genes can help us benefit more from hypnosis, but did you know that hypnosis itself can impact how our genes are expressed without DNA differences? Preliminary evidence has found that hypnosis is associated with gene expressions related to reduced inflammation and cellular stress and supporting healthy immune responses and stem cell growth. This means we may be able to harness the powers of our mind with hypnosis to alter our gene expression and, in doing so, promote our own health!

Hypnosis may also enable us to improve our ability to learn. Neuroplasticity is the ability of our nervous system to adjust itself structurally (by creating new connections between neurons) and functionally (by changing how existing neurons function) in response to experience. Several recent studies make strong arguments that hypnosis results in greater neuroplasticity.

Interestingly, some researchers think that the ability of hypnosis to change gene expression contributes to its ability to spark neuroplasticity. They assume it yields a positive feedback loop.

Tying It All Together

Let’s look at what this means for you and your hypnotic ability. Although the science of hypnosis and genetics is still young, several genes have been linked to hypnotizability. While this is interesting, our genetics affect only a portion of our ability to respond to hypnotic suggestions.

Hypnosis can change how our genes express themselves: using hypnosis has been linked to the improvement of cellular functions related to a healthy immune response, stem cell growth, reduced inflammation, and decreased stress! Given it is one of the safest options for so many different goals and challenges, why not give it a try?

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