Visceral Learning in Asthma

Abstract

The hypothesis of visceral learning has opened a new avenue in the search for a pathway between psychosocial stimuli and physiological changes. To apply this approach to asthma required a technique for the measurement of the airways' patency, which could be interfaced with the strategy of visceral learning. The method of forced oscillations was shown to correlate highly with whole body plethysmography. The rapid output of the instrument was used on line to control a visual reinforcement signal. Forty-six mild asthmatics, blind to the effect sought in order to minimize the role of suggestion, were tested in a series of evolving experiments. In the first series, two groups of subjects (N=15,13) were able, with this sensory feedback, to decrease (p less than 0.01) their total respiratory resistance; subsequently a smaller group of subjects (N=5), who received reinforcement signals unrelated to the state of their airways, showed no such change. Similar results were obtained in the second series of tests; in A-B-B-A order, the subjects (N=13) received either contingent or noncontingent reinforcement; furthermore, the reinforcement was available only if their lung volume was within the range observed during baseline.

Stress, disease, psychotherapy, and hypnosis.

“…Finally, the most specific therapeutic attempts to deal with psychosomatic disorders involve interventions that focus on amelioration or elimination of a particular somatic dysfunction itself. Biofeedback (Blanchard & Miller, 1977;Stoyva, 1976;Turin & Johnson, 1976;Vachon & Rich, 1976), relaxation therapy (Alexander, 1972;Jacob et al, 1977) and hypnosis (Black, 1969;Bowers, 1977;Frankel, 1973) are examples of this last therapeutic orientation.…”

Hypnosis and Relaxation in the Medically Ill

“…medications inde pendent of pulmonary function tests [13]. Asthma-like symptoms have been condi tioned in animals when allergenic sprays were repeatedly paired with neutral aerosols [ 14] or when humans have been led to believe they have had contact with an allergen [15,16] or bronchoconstricting drug [17][18][19], Clinical trials with hypnosis for asthma relief have been encouraging. An early, large sample study by the British Tuberculosis So ciety [20] treated nonsteroid-dependent asth matics with hypnosis or relaxation therapy.…”

Nonexercise Aspects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation

“…94 The patient is more likely to feel that the rehabilitation effort is worth it, if the team 94 clearly lets the patient know that he or she is worth it. 97 Psychotherapeutic techniques that have been described in the literature include the psychodynamic approach, 98 the behavioral-cognitive approach, [99][100][101] relaxation training, [102][103][104] biofeedback techniques, [105][106][107][108] meditation, 109 behavioral rehearsals, 110 assertive behavior training, 111 selfrewards, 112 mental imagery, 113 values clarification, 114 and environmental management. 115 Kim and colleagues 94 have discussed the various techniques that can be used by the psychosocial support team in a PRP.…”