Hypnosis Test Identifies Treatable Postoperative Pain.

A molecular diagnostic test has been developed to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from hypnosis to manage post-operative pain. The test detects four specific genetic variations in the COMT gene, which is responsible for dopamine metabolism in the brain. The study found that a subset of highly hypnotizable individuals may be more likely to experience high levels of postoperative pain. The test can be easily deployed in point-of-care settings using saliva or blood samples, and it is a step towards enabling researchers and healthcare professionals to identify a subset of patients who are most likely to benefit from hypnotic analgesia.