The History of Hypnosis: From Animal Magnetism to 2005 — Neurobiological and Biochemical Foundations

Doctoral dissertation completed in 2005 in the field of Clinical Hypnotherapy.

This dissertation examines the historical development of clinical hypnosis from its pre-scientific origins and animal magnetism to the neurobiological, biochemical and neuroimaging foundations available by 2005.

The study traces the development of hypnosis through the work of Mesmer, Puységur, Braid, Charcot, Bernheim, Janet, Freud, Hull, Erickson and Hilgard, and examines the transition from early magnetic and psychological theories to experimental, clinical and neuroscientific approaches.

Particular attention is given to hypnotizability, neurophysiology, EEG, functional neuroimaging, the HPA axis, neurotransmitters, clinical applications, ethical issues, theoretical models and the evidence base for clinical hypnosis.

The dissertation consists of twenty-eight chapters and supplementary appendices, and reflects the state of the scientific literature available up to 2005.

Author: Dimitrios G. Kimoglou
Original dissertation year: 2005
Language of this deposited edition: English