Papers by Enrica Laura Santarcangelo
The role of hypnotizability in the construction of individual sensori-motor selves
Archives Italiennes De Biologie, Jan 12, 2011
Research Article Pain Symptoms in Fibromyalgia Patients with and without Provoked Vulvodynia
Copyright © 2014 Anna Ghizzani et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creativ... more Copyright © 2014 Anna Ghizzani et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Objective. The aim of the study was to compare the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia patients exhibiting (FMS+PVD) and not exhibiting (FMS) comorbidity with provoked vulvodynia. Study Design. The case control study was performed in 39 patients who had been diagnosed with FMS and accepted to undergo gynaecological examination and in 36 healthy women (C). All patients completed standardized questionnaires for pain intensity, pain area, and psychological functioning. The gynaecological examination included vulvar pain pressure reactivity (Q-tip), pelvic tone assessment (Kegel manoeuver), and a semistructured interview collecting detailed information about pelvic symptoms and sexual function. Results. FMS+PVD patients displayed a higher number...
Cognitive control of posture (going through cognition by posture)
Sensory-motor cortex activity modulation by hypnotic susceptibility and hypnosis during finger movement
Archives italiennes de biologie, 2004
The aim of the experiment was to study whether the activity of the primary sensory-motor (S1/M1),... more The aim of the experiment was to study whether the activity of the primary sensory-motor (S1/M1), supplementary motor (SMA) and pre-motor (PMA) areas during fingers movement is modulated by hypnotic susceptibility and hypnosis. Cortical activity was studied through functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during a finger-to-thumb opposition task in awake (Highs) and hypnotized highly susceptible (H-Highs) as well as in awake non susceptible subjects (Lows). Results did not show any significant difference in sensory-motor areas activation between Highs and Lows (trait effect) and between Highs and H-Highs (state effect). The activation in 3 subjects among Highs and only 1 among Lows (out of 5) of the caudal S1, receiving the most part of the cutaneous input, appears noteworthy and prompts further investigation on possible hypnotizability-related differences in sensory-motor integration.
Polymorphism of Opioid Receptors μ1 in Highly Hypnotizable Subjects
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2018
Abstract The possible cooperation between hypnotizability-related and placebo mechanisms in pain ... more Abstract The possible cooperation between hypnotizability-related and placebo mechanisms in pain modulation has not been consistently assessed. Here, we investigate possible genetic bases for such cooperation. The OPRM1 gene, which encodes the μ1 opioid receptor—the primary site of action for endogenous and exogenous opioids—is polymorphic in the general population for the missense mutation Asn40Asp (A118G, rs1799971). The minor allele 118G results in decreased levels of OPRM1 mRNA and protein. As a consequence, G carriers are less responsive to opioids. The aim of the study was to investigate whether hypnotizability is associated with the presence of the OPRM1 polymorphism. Forty-three high and 60 low hypnotizable individuals, as well as 162 controls, were genotyped for the A118G polymorphism of OPRM1. The frequency of the G allele was significantly higher in highs compared to both lows and controls. Findings suggest that an inefficient opioid system may be a distinctive characteristic of highs and that hypnotic assessment may predict lower responsiveness to opioids.
The role of hypnotizability in the construction of individual sensori-motor selves
Archives Italiennes De Biologie, Jan 12, 2011
Research Article Pain Symptoms in Fibromyalgia Patients with and without Provoked Vulvodynia
Copyright © 2014 Anna Ghizzani et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creativ... more Copyright © 2014 Anna Ghizzani et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Objective. The aim of the study was to compare the pain symptoms of fibromyalgia patients exhibiting (FMS+PVD) and not exhibiting (FMS) comorbidity with provoked vulvodynia. Study Design. The case control study was performed in 39 patients who had been diagnosed with FMS and accepted to undergo gynaecological examination and in 36 healthy women (C). All patients completed standardized questionnaires for pain intensity, pain area, and psychological functioning. The gynaecological examination included vulvar pain pressure reactivity (Q-tip), pelvic tone assessment (Kegel manoeuver), and a semistructured interview collecting detailed information about pelvic symptoms and sexual function. Results. FMS+PVD patients displayed a higher number...
Cognitive control of posture (going through cognition by posture)
Sensory-motor cortex activity modulation by hypnotic susceptibility and hypnosis during finger movement
Archives italiennes de biologie, 2004
The aim of the experiment was to study whether the activity of the primary sensory-motor (S1/M1),... more The aim of the experiment was to study whether the activity of the primary sensory-motor (S1/M1), supplementary motor (SMA) and pre-motor (PMA) areas during fingers movement is modulated by hypnotic susceptibility and hypnosis. Cortical activity was studied through functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during a finger-to-thumb opposition task in awake (Highs) and hypnotized highly susceptible (H-Highs) as well as in awake non susceptible subjects (Lows). Results did not show any significant difference in sensory-motor areas activation between Highs and Lows (trait effect) and between Highs and H-Highs (state effect). The activation in 3 subjects among Highs and only 1 among Lows (out of 5) of the caudal S1, receiving the most part of the cutaneous input, appears noteworthy and prompts further investigation on possible hypnotizability-related differences in sensory-motor integration.
Polymorphism of Opioid Receptors μ1 in Highly Hypnotizable Subjects
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2018
Abstract The possible cooperation between hypnotizability-related and placebo mechanisms in pain ... more Abstract The possible cooperation between hypnotizability-related and placebo mechanisms in pain modulation has not been consistently assessed. Here, we investigate possible genetic bases for such cooperation. The OPRM1 gene, which encodes the μ1 opioid receptor—the primary site of action for endogenous and exogenous opioids—is polymorphic in the general population for the missense mutation Asn40Asp (A118G, rs1799971). The minor allele 118G results in decreased levels of OPRM1 mRNA and protein. As a consequence, G carriers are less responsive to opioids. The aim of the study was to investigate whether hypnotizability is associated with the presence of the OPRM1 polymorphism. Forty-three high and 60 low hypnotizable individuals, as well as 162 controls, were genotyped for the A118G polymorphism of OPRM1. The frequency of the G allele was significantly higher in highs compared to both lows and controls. Findings suggest that an inefficient opioid system may be a distinctive characteristic of highs and that hypnotic assessment may predict lower responsiveness to opioids.
Association of Hypnotizability, Interoception, and Emotion
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
Hypnotizability is a psychophysiological trait measured by scales and associated with several dif... more Hypnotizability is a psychophysiological trait measured by scales and associated with several differences including interoceptive accuracy and the morpho-functional characteristics of interoception-related brain regions. The aim of the study was to assess whether the amplitude of the heartbeat evoked cortical potential (HEP), a correlate of interoceptive accuracy, differs in participants with low (lows) and high (highs) hypnotizability scores (assessed by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, form A) before and after the induction of hypnosis. ECG and EEG were monitored in 16 highs and 15 lows during an experimental session including open eyes baseline (B), closed eyes relaxation (R), hypnotic induction (IND), neutral hypnosis (NH), post session baseline (Post). No significant difference was observed between groups and conditions in autonomic variables. The HEP amplitude was lower in highs than in lows at the right parietal site, likely due to hypnotizability-related differenc...
Well-Being in Highly Hypnotizable Persons
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
ABSTRACT Both hypnotizability and well-being are relevant to health. This study aimed to investig... more ABSTRACT Both hypnotizability and well-being are relevant to health. This study aimed to investigate whether high hypnotizability was positively associated with well-being and whether the latter was related to the activity of the behavioral inhibition/approach system (BIS/BAS). ANOVA revealed significantly higher scores on the General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) in highly hypnotizable (highs, n = 31) compared with low hypnotizable participants (lows, n = 53), with medium hypnotizable participants (mediums, n = 41) exhibiting intermediate values. This finding was discussed in relation to other hypnotizability-related traits, such as morpho-functional brain characteristics, equivalence between imagery and perception, and interoceptive sensitivity. A secondary finding was a nonsignificant gender difference in scores on the PGWBI. The highs’ higher well-being could be considered a favorable prognostic factor for physical and mental health.
Multisensory Integration Is Modulated by Hypnotizability
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 2021
ABSTRACT This study investigated multisensory integration in 29 medium-to-high (mid-highs) and 24... more ABSTRACT This study investigated multisensory integration in 29 medium-to-high (mid-highs) and 24 low-to-medium (mid-lows) hypnotizable individuals, classified according to the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form A. Participants completed a simultaneity judgment (SJ) task, where an auditory and a visual stimulus were presented in close proximity to their body in a range of 11 stimulus onset asynchronies. Results show that mid-highs were prone to judge audiovisual stimuli as simultaneous over a wider range of time intervals between sensory stimuli, as expressed by a broader temporal binding window, when the visual stimulus precedes the auditory one. No significant difference was observed for response times. Findings indicate a role of hypnotizability in multisensory integration likely due to the highs’ cerebellar peculiarities and/or sensory modality preference.
Hypnotisability-related interoceptive awareness and inhibitory/activating emotional traits
Archives Italiennes de Biologie, 2020
Emotions are influenced by several individual factors. Hypnotizability - a psychophysiological tr... more Emotions are influenced by several individual factors. Hypnotizability - a psychophysiological trait associated with morpho-functional cerebral and cerebellar variations able to sustain differences in interoception and emotion - could be one of them. The aims of the study were to find out possible differences in Interoceptive Awareness (IA) and in the emotional traits sustained by the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation System (BIS/BAS) in participants with high (highs), medium (mediums) and low (lows) hypnotizability and to investigate the association of interoceptive awareness and BIS/BAS related emotional traits as a function of hypnotizability. Thus, IA and BIS/BAS were studied in 284 subjects of both genders by the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) and by BIS/BAS scales, respectively. Significantly lower BIS scores (lower inhibitory control/conflict monitoring) in highs and lows with respect to mediums and significantly higher IA (proneness to notice and interpret interoceptive information) in highs with respect to mediums and lows were found. In addition, different correlations between MAIA and BIS/BAS scales were observed in the three groups, indicating different hypnotizability-related associations.The hypnotizability-related relation between interoceptive awareness and emotional traits could be accounted for by different models and their knowledge may be relevant to the science of emotion and to clinical applications.
Experimental Brain Research, 2020
The aim of the study was to investigate the possible association of hypnotizability and deep slee... more The aim of the study was to investigate the possible association of hypnotizability and deep sleep (N3) duration, and whether the interoceptive sensibility influences this association. This was motivated by the proneness of highly hypnotizable individuals to easily change their psychophysiological state, i.e., from wakefulness to hypnosis and sleep, and by the positive association observed between hypnotizability and interoceptive sensibility. Forty-seven healthy participants previously enrolled in a polysomnographic night sleep study completed the questionnaire for Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) and underwent hypnotic assessment through the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, form A (SHSS,A). Results showed that N3 duration is not linearly correlated with hypnotizability. Controlling for a few MAIA scales did not modify the relation between hypnotizability and deep sleep. A polynomial relation indicates that N3 duration and N3 percentage of the total sleep time increase with hypnotizability in the low-to-medium range of hypnotizability and decrease in the medium-to-high range. In conclusion, hypnotic assessment predicts N3 duration and their association is not modified by interoceptive awareness/sensitivity.
Brain and Cognition, 2019
Motor imagery is influenced by individual and contextual factors. We investigated whether the psy... more Motor imagery is influenced by individual and contextual factors. We investigated whether the psychophysiological trait of hypnotisability modulates its subjective experience and cortical correlates similarly to what was previously shown for head postures mental images. EEG was acquired in 18 high (highs) and 15 low (lows) hypnotizable subjects (Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, A). The experimental conditions were: baseline, a complex arm/hand movement, visual (1st person) and kinesthetic imagery of the movement. After each imagery condition, participants scored the vividness and easeness of their performance and their ability to mantain the requested modality of imagery. Subjective reports, chronometric visual/kinesthetic indices, absolute beta and fronto-central midline alpha powers were analyzed. Findings confirmed earlier reports of better kinestetic imagery ability in highs than in lows and better visual than kinesthetic imagery in lows, as well as smaller restructuring of the cortical activity in highs than in lows, during all tasks. Also, they show that hypnotisability accounts for most of the correlations between brain regions for both alpha and beta changes. Thus, imagined and actual movements were less demanding processes in highs at subjective and cortical levels. Finally, hypnotic assessment assists to plan personalized mental training for neuro-rehabilitation and sports and predict their efficacy.
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Papers by Enrica Laura Santarcangelo