ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since the diagnostic unit is established in "mental disorder due to Qigong", it has been lack of comparative analysis of experimental observation on whether Qigong exercise affects physiological state in central nerve system, on what the difference are between Qigong and hypnotic induction in the effects on central system.OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes in brain evoked potentials in "normal state", "Qigong meditation" and "hypnosis" so as to analyze the difference between Qigong release and hypnotic induction in cerebral physiological effects in normal adults.DESIGN: Brain evoked potential experiment was designed, in which, normal adults were employed.SETTING: Shanghai Mental Health Center.PARTICIPANTS: They were staffs, interns and volunteers in Shanghai Mental Health Center, of either gender, at any age and with any educational background, totally 52 people.METHODS:① American Nicolet Spirit evoked brain electrophysiological meter was used. The electrodes were attached according to 10/20 system on Cz, C3, C4, Pz and Fz of scalp. Verbal or fixation inductive hypnosis was applied. Hypnosis lasted 20 to 30 minutes, in which, the induction lasted 10to 15 minutes. The experimental observation were performed when the receptors were determined to be in hypnosis.② The Qigong meditation was co-performed by the Qigong masters from Shanghai Qigong Institute or Qigong folk masters. They released "external qi" to the receptors. The degree of "Qigong meditction" was based on folk standards. The observation was carried on when the receptors were identified to be in theQigong state.The entire process lasted 20 to 30 minutes.③ To observe successively the latency and amplitude of the event related potentials [contingent negative variation (CNV), P300 ] and sensory evoked potentials [visual evoked potentials (VEP), auditory evoked potentials (AEP), auditory brainstem reaction (ABR)] of receptors in "normal state", "Qigong meditation" and "hypnotic state". The observed values were performed multiple analysis of variance of single-factor quantitative linear model in 2 × 2 factorial design.MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES:① Observation of event related potentials. ② Observation of sensory evoked potentials RESULTS: Due to limited result of hypnotic induction and incomplete record of brain-evoked potentials, 3 cases were lost. Terminally, 49 cases entered statistical analysis. ①Observation of event related potentials: under hypnotic state, the amplitude of P300 (target stimuli-P3) was decreased compared with normal state [(4.18±2.23), (6.07±3.23) μV, P ＜ 0.01]. The amplitude of AEP (P2) in hypnotic state and normal state was decreased compared with Qigong meditation [(2.01±1.28), (2.71±1.83), (2.73±1.34)μV, P＜0.05].The amplitude of CNV(M2) was decreased comparedwith normal state and Qigong meditation[(5.93±3.36),(7.83±4.59),(7.76±4.42) μ,V,P ＜ 0.05].②Observation of sensory evoked potentials: The amplitude of VEP (P2, P3) in hypnotic state was reduced compared with normal state and Qigong meditation [(3.47±2.69), (4.76±2.78), (4.30±2.64) μV; (1.18 ±1.08), (1.68±0.95),(2.01±1.48) μV, P ＜ 0.05].CONCLUSION: In hypnotic state, sensory evoked potentials presented low amplitude and such alternation did not appeared in Qigong meditation and normal state. It is explained that there are differences between hypnotic induction and Qigong release in the influence on cerebral physiological process. The extensively recognized hypothesis in Qigong field that "Qigong state" is "hypnosis" cannot be verified by above-mentioned experiment.