Cerebellar Structural Variations in Subjects with Different Hypnotizability

Abstract

Hypnotizability-the proneness to accept suggestions and behave accordingly-has a number of physiological and behavioral correlates (postural, visuomotor, and pain control) which suggest a possible involvement of cerebellar function and/or structure. The present study was aimed at investigating the association between cerebellar macro- or micro-structural variations (analyzed through a voxel-based morphometry and a diffusion tensor imaging approach) and hypnotic susceptibility. We also estimated morphometric variations of cerebral gray matter structures, to support current evidence of hypnotizability-related differences in some cerebral areas. High (highs, N = 12), and low (lows, N = 37) hypnotizable healthy participants (according to the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, form A) were submitted to a high field (3 T) magnetic resonance imaging protocol. In comparison to lows, highs showed smaller gray matter volumes in left cerebellar lobules IV/V and VI at uncorrected level, with the results in left lobule IV/V maintained also at corrected level. Highs showed also gray matter volumes smaller than lows in right inferior temporal gyrus, middle and superior orbitofrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, and supramarginal parietal gyrus, as well as in left gyrus rectus, insula, and middle temporal cortex at uncorrected level. Results of right inferior temporal gyrus survived also at corrected level. Analyses on micro-structural data failed to reveal any significant association. The here found morphological variations allow to extend the traditional cortico-centric view of hypnotizability to the cerebellar regions, suggesting that cerebellar peculiarities may sustain hypnotizability-related differences in sensorimotor integration and emotional control.

Visuospatial imagery in healthy individuals with different hypnotizability levels

“…In addition, the individuals with high (highs) and low (lows) hypnotizability scores differ in a few aspects of sensori-motor integrationaccuracy of postural and visuo-motor controlsuggesting a less strict cerebellar control of posture and movement in highs [11]. In line with these observations, reduced grey matter volume in the cerebellar cortex and, specifically, in the left lobules IV-VI of the cerebellum has been observed in highs compared to lows [12].…”

“…The present study was aimed at investigating possible hypnotizability-related differences in the ability of spatial imagery. In fact, on the basis of the reported hypnotizability-related morpho-functional cerebellar differences [12,13], we may expect differences between highs and lows in both mental rotation (owing to the highs' smaller lobule VI grey matter volume) and working memory (owing to their smaller left lobule IV-VI grey matter volume).…”

Spectral and topological analyses of the cortical representation of the head position: Does hypnotizability matter?

“…Alterations of visual and leg proprioceptive information (Santarcangelo, Scattina, Carli, Macerata, & Manzoni, ) and asymmetric tactile feet stimulation (Solari, Orsini, & Santarcangelo, ) induce larger and/or faster body sway in highly hypnotizable individuals ( highs ), while tonic neck rotation induces changes in the velocity of body sway only in low hypnotizable subjects ( lows ) (Santarcangelo et al., ). Hypnotizability is also associated with morphofunctional differences in the cerebral cortex (Landry, Lifshitz, & Raz, ) and cerebellar cortex (Picerni et al., ; Bocci et al., ), which are structures relevant to sensorimotor integration. Indeed, the vestibular and neck proprioceptive information are conveyed to the frontoparietal, insular, and cingulate cortices which show also hypnotizability‐related morphofunctional properties (Landry et al., ).…”

Imagined and Actual Movements with and without Suggestions for anesthesia in Subjects with Different Hypnotizability

“…From a functional point of view, highs exhibit a stronger connection between the cingulate cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal cortices possibly leading to increased likelihood to modulate the information selection and processing [13]. In addition, highs show reduced grey matter volume of the cerebellar left IV-VI lobules [14], suggesting a role of the cerebellum in the observed hypnotizability-related differences in sensorimotor integration, cerebellar control of pain and a few cognitive-emotional traits. In the absence of suggestions and out of hypnosis, highs show less strict postural control and less accurate visuomotor performance.…”

“…Greater cerebral cortical excitability (Spina, personal communication) could be responsible for stronger FE possibly due to greater cortical activation by ascending systems [39,40] or lower cerebellar inhibition of cortical sensorimotor areas [14]. Among activating systems, the dopaminergic pathway plays the best role [41][42][43][44][45].…”