Association between Anterior Cingulate Neurochemical Concentration and Individual Differences in Hypnotizability
Cerebral Cortex December 16, 2019 Danielle D. DeSouza, Katy H. Stimpson, Laima Baltusis et al. 26 citations
Hypnotizability, a stable trait in adulthood, is linked to the concentration of the neurotransmitter GABA in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). In healthy individuals, higher ACC GABA levels were positively associated with higher hypnotizability scores measured by the Hypnotic Induction Profile. An exploratory analysis also found a negative relationship between glutamate levels and the absorption and imaginative involvement subscale of the Dissociative Experiences Scale. These findings suggest a neurobiological basis for individual differences in hypnotic responsiveness, which may help explain variability in treatment outcomes for hypnosis-based psychotherapies.