Physiologic correlates of culture-bound dissociation: A comparative study of Brazilian spiritist mediums and controls.
Marco Aurélio Vinhosa Bastos, Paulo Roberto Haidamus de Oliveira Bastos, Igraíne Helena Scholz Osório, Sérgio Augusto Monteiro Pinheiro, Décio Iandoli, Giancarlo Lucchetti
Transcultural psychiatry April 1, 2018 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/1363461518759202 via PubMed
Summary
The study compared 20 female spiritist mediums with 20 female nonmediums to investigate physiological responses during spirit communication. While no differences in baseline measures were found, mediums exhibited increased heart rate and plasma levels of noradrenaline, TSH, and prolactin during possession experiences, indicating an arousal response. In contrast, control participants showed a relaxation response. However, these physiological changes were mild and short-lived, with no differences observed one hour post-experience.
Study at a glance
| Sample size | 40 |
|---|---|
| Population | 20 female spiritist mediums and 20 female nonmedium control subjects |
| Key finding | Mediums experienced an arousal response during possession, while nonmediums exhibited a relaxation response. |
Abstract
Mediumship and spirit possession are cultural phenomena found in many societies worldwide. In Brazil, Spiritism (a tradition in which mediumship is emphasized) is the third largest religious denomination. The present study aimed to investigate physiologic correlates of nonpathological dissociative experiences by comparing 20 female spiritist mediums with several years of socially sanctioned practice to 20 female nonmedium control subjects from the same religious context. We measured plasma levels of hormones and neuroactive substances, as well as vital signs and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, before and immediately after spirit communication. Although no between-group differences were noted in basal physiological parameters, in response to the possession experiences the groups differed in heart rate and in plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK). The changes in parameters indicated an arousal response in mediums and a relaxation response in control participants, and the same pattern of changes was observed in HRV parameters from each group during the possession experiences. However, the changes in physiologic parameters for mediums were mild and of short duration: 1 hour after the possession experiences, no difference in cardiac autonomic regulation was noted. No significant group effect was noted for melatonin. Cognitive control processes may explain the arousal associated with the dissociative state. Findings from this study suggest that pathological and nonpathological dissociation may have different physiological correlates.