Abstract Mkid 25

Profound advances in research on the molecular-genetic basis of sleep and dreams have important implications for understanding the deep psychobiological dynamics of hypnosis, psychotherapy and healing. The essence of this new view is that Immediate-Early Genes (also called “Primary Response Genes” or third messengers) play a central role in the dynamics of waking, sleeping, dreaming, and mind-body healing at the cellular level. This paper reviews evidence that immediate-early genes (IEGs) function as mediators of information transduction between psychological experience, behavioral states, and gene expression. A wide range of behavioral state-related gene expression (from relaxation, hypnosis and sleep to high arousal, performance, stress and trauma) culminate in the production of new proteins for homeostasis, physical and psychosocial adaptation. Some theoretical and clinical implications of this new view of the deep psychobiology of consciousness, sleep, dreams, hypnosis and psychotherapy are explored.