The Ideodynamic Action Hypothesis of Therapeutic Suggestion: Creative Replay in the Psychosocial Genomics of Therapeutic Hypnosis
Ernest Lawrence Rossi

Abstract: Current research in neuroscience and the psychosocial genomics of memory, learning, and behavior have important implications for the theory and practice of therapeutic hypnosis and psychotherapy. It is proposed that many phenomena associated with therapeutic suggestion and hypnosis – typically explained by the ideodynamic action hypothesis – actually describe the phenotypic or observable cognitive-behavioral manifestations of activity-dependent gene expression, brain plasticity, and mind-body healing. This conceptual review outlines how the neuroscience trace reactivation theory of the construction and reconstruction of consciousness, memory, and behavior is consistent with an update of the classical ideodynamic action hypothesis of therapeutic suggestion: therapeutic hypnosis can facilitate brain plasticity and mind-body healing by replaying the activity-dependent gene expression/protein synthesis cycle in the reconstruction of fear, stress, and post-traumatic memories
and symptoms. A new psychosocial genomic paradigm of mind-body research is proposed for assessing the possible role of therapeutic hypnosis and related psychotherapeutic processes.

Keywords: Ideodynamic action hypothesis, psychosocial genomics, stress, therapeutic hypnosis, activity-dependent gene expression, memory, learning.

Poetry and Medicine
Carl-Magnus Stolt

Abstract: In this article I investigate the relationship between poetry and medical practice. Experiences of illness can result in deepening perspectives. Poetry is an investigation of the human psyche and a distillation of feeling. Through poetry one obtains an existentialist perspective. In this essay, poetry’s meaning, for both the caregiver and the patient, will be investigated. Literature gives possibilities to
conscious ethical and existential refl ection. All around the world literature is used as a tool in order to refl ect upon clinical ethics, communication, cultural diversity, spirituality and human complexity.

Key words: poetry, literature, medicine, aphorisms, Tomas Tranströmer

The effi cacy of hypnosis in changing the quality of life in patients with dementia: A pilot-study evaluation.
Simon C. Duff, PhD and Daniel J. Nightingale, PhD

Abstract: A pilot study concerned with infl uencing the quality of life of elderly, residential and nursing home patients with dementia through hypnosis looked at changes across seven variables over a 9 month period. Three groups of patients were compared, a ‘treatment-as-usual’ control group, a discussion group and patients receiving hypnosis. Across each of the seven variables the hypnosis
group showed the largest improvement, which was also sustained over the 9 month period of the study. The discussion group showed little improvement, but were stable over this period of time and the control group showed a small decline across all measures. Overall, the hypnosis group showed a statistically signifi cant improvement from baseline on the assessed measures of quality of life. We discuss possible explanations for these findings.

Keywords: Hypnosis, dementia, quality of life