This pilot study explores a new protocol “The Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience” (CPGHE), an evidence-based approach to facilitating mind-body communication and healing with therapeutic hypnosis and psychotherapy. This paper assesses the hypothesis that a therapeutic hypnosis protocol (Rossi, 1986, 2012) could modulate gene expression in human white blood cells. Peripheral blood was collected, just before and after the treatment administration of the HyT on 18 individuals, and microarray analysis was conducted. Changes in experience-dependent gene expression, over relatively brief time periods (1 hour and 24 hours), following a single intervention of HyT of about 1 hour, were assessed. Microarray analysis revealed that a total of 200 genes were differentially expressed in response to HyT (>1.2 fold, p <0.05). Forty-six genes were differentially expressed after 1 hour and 154 genes were differentially expressed after 24 hours. Bioinformatic analysis revealed four significantly enriched GO term pathways (corrected p-value <0.05): acetylation, cytosol, regulation of cell death and negative regulation of apoptosis. In order to validate the microarray results, a subset of genes, representative of specific and enriched GO pathways, or with relevant functions, were validated through RT-PCR experiments. This data demonstrated high plasticity of human immune cells and a considerable modulation of gene expression following the HyT. Since the genes expressed in response to the HyT protocol are related to a variety of GO term pathways associated with reducing cellular stress and inflammation while supporting positive immune system functions, these findings may have important applications in therapeutic hypnosis, psychotherapy and rehabilitation.

The mind-body healing experience (MHE) is associated with gene expression in human leukocytes

COZZOLINO, Mauro;CICATELLI, ANGELA;Guarino, F.;TAGLIAFERRI, Roberto;CASTIGLIONE, Stefano;
2015-01-01

Abstract

This pilot study explores a new protocol “The Creative Psychosocial Genomic Healing Experience” (CPGHE), an evidence-based approach to facilitating mind-body communication and healing with therapeutic hypnosis and psychotherapy. This paper assesses the hypothesis that a therapeutic hypnosis protocol (Rossi, 1986, 2012) could modulate gene expression in human white blood cells. Peripheral blood was collected, just before and after the treatment administration of the HyT on 18 individuals, and microarray analysis was conducted. Changes in experience-dependent gene expression, over relatively brief time periods (1 hour and 24 hours), following a single intervention of HyT of about 1 hour, were assessed. Microarray analysis revealed that a total of 200 genes were differentially expressed in response to HyT (>1.2 fold, p <0.05). Forty-six genes were differentially expressed after 1 hour and 154 genes were differentially expressed after 24 hours. Bioinformatic analysis revealed four significantly enriched GO term pathways (corrected p-value <0.05): acetylation, cytosol, regulation of cell death and negative regulation of apoptosis. In order to validate the microarray results, a subset of genes, representative of specific and enriched GO pathways, or with relevant functions, were validated through RT-PCR experiments. This data demonstrated high plasticity of human immune cells and a considerable modulation of gene expression following the HyT. Since the genes expressed in response to the HyT protocol are related to a variety of GO term pathways associated with reducing cellular stress and inflammation while supporting positive immune system functions, these findings may have important applications in therapeutic hypnosis, psychotherapy and rehabilitation.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11386/4253684
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