Hypnosis and attention deficits after closed head injury.
In a controlled study of patients attending a concussion clinic because of ongoing postconcussion symptoms, attention deficits were recorded in the head-injured group for the aspects of alertness, assessed by the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and processing capacity, assessed by a version of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT). Selective attention was intact. Hypnotizability was assessed by the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A), with normal means and standard deviations found in both the concussed and control groups. There was a significant correlation, however, between HGSHS:A scores and PASAT scores in the concussed group only. The results of this preliminary study suggest that slower processing capacity after a closed head injury may predict higher hypnotizability and that hypnosis could be an appropriate rehabilitation technique for these patients who present with postconcussion symptoms.
Laidlaw
T M
TM
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag, New Zealand.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000523:psychology*; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests