Hypnosis, Pain Response, Monoamine Oxidase and Serotonin

Hypnosis influences the workings of our brain and the compounds or “neurotransmitters” we then put out. There is a study that was performed with patients who learned relaxation skills. The researchers checked the subjects’ monoamine oxidase levels-( monoamine oxidase is what metabolizes serotonin, our feeling good chemical, a pain relief chemical) and found changes in those levels consistent with what you would expect with preventive drug therapy! The results of this study suggesed that, it is not only just a matter of feeling relaxed that’s important but actually learning relaxation therapies so as to turn off and on certain pain pathways in the nervous system by changing those monoamine oxidase levels which consequently change the serotonin levels.