Delta coherence in resting-state EEG predicts the reduction in cigarette craving after hypnotic aversion suggestions

Xiaoming Li,Pengyu Zhang,Wanwan Lv,Jiawen Chen,Yifeng Zhou,Ying Chen,Qichao Wu,Xiaochu Zhang,Liangjun Pang,Ru Ma,Yunlu Xie,Guanbao Cui,Peng Zhang

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-01373-4

Abstract

Cigarette craving is a key contributor of nicotine addiction. Hypnotic aversion suggestions have been used to help smoking cessation and reduce smoking relapse rates but its neural basis is poorly understood. This study investigated the underlying neural basis of hypnosis treatment for nicotine addiction with resting state Electroencephalograph (EEG) coherence as the measure. The sample consisted of 42 male smokers. Cigarette craving was measured by the Tobacco Craving Questionnaire. The 8-minute resting state EEG was recorded in baseline state and after hypnotic induction in the hypnotic state. Then a smoking disgust suggestion was performed. A significant increase in EEG coherence in delta and theta frequency, and significant decrease in alpha and beta frequency, between the baseline and the hypnotic state was found, which may reflect alterations in consciousness after hypnotic induction. More importantly, the delta coherence between the right frontal region and the left posterior region predicted cigarette craving reduction after hypnotic aversion suggestions. This suggests that the functional connectivity between these regions plays an important role in reducing cigarette cravings via hypnotic aversion suggestions. Thus, these brain regions may serve as an important target to treat nicotine addiction, such as stimulating these brain regions via repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Highlights

In the last nationally representative survey in 2010 the prevalence of cigarette smoking for adult males in China was estimated to be almost 53%1
The functional connectivity of different brain regions can be measured via Electroencephalography (EEG) coherence, which measures the synchrony of brain activity within or across different brain areas
Given that nicotine abstinence causes increases in EEG power in low-frequency bands and leads to reductions in high-frequency bands during a resting state[22], we expected that the delta coherence and theta coherence would increase, and alpha coherence and beta coherence would decrease in the resting state as a result of hypnosis

Summary

Introduction

In the last nationally representative survey in 2010 the prevalence of cigarette smoking for adult males in China was estimated to be almost 53%1. The data on the efficacy of clinical hypnosis are mixed[8], with some studies reporting less than 25%9 and others reporting a high success rate of more than 80% abstinence[10]. In their recent Cochrane database review, Barnes et al.[11] concluded that most studies had methodological flaws and any treatment success may be influenced by many factors. It has been used to investigate brain changes associated with substance dependence[13,14,15] For these reasons, this EEG technique is useful in investigate the neural basis of the effect of hypnotherapy on cigarette craving. Given that nicotine abstinence causes increases in EEG power in low-frequency bands (delta and theta) and leads to reductions in high-frequency bands (alpha and beta) during a resting state[22], we expected that the delta coherence and theta coherence would increase, and alpha coherence and beta coherence would decrease in the resting state as a result of hypnosis

Methods

Results

Conclusion