Psychophysiological correlates of tonic immobility in the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus)

Nash, Richard F.; Gallup, Gordon G.; Czech, Donald A.

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(76)90100-1

Cited by 51 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Surprisingly, no significant relation existed between tonic immobility and PTSD hyperarousal symptoms. Though the psychophysiological correlates of tonic immobility vary as a function of species, research with animals (e.g., chickens : Gentle, Jones, & Woolley, 1989;Nash, Gallup, & Czech, 1976;and pointer dogs: Reese, Newton, & Angel, 1982) has found that tonic immobility is associated with decreased autonomic responding. This may also be the case among humans.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Tonic immobility mediates the influence of peritraumatic fear and perceived inescapability on posttraumatic stress symptom severity among sexual assault survivors

Bovin

Jager‐Hyman

Gold

et al. 2008

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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This study evaluated whether tonic immobility mediates the relations between perceived inescapability, peritraumatic fear, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity among sexual assault survivors. Female undergraduates (N = 176) completed questionnaires assessing assault history, perceived inescapability, peritraumatic fear, tonic immobility, and PTSD symptoms. Results indicated that tonic immobility fully mediated relations between perceived inescapability and overall PTSD symptom severity, as well as reexperiencing and avoidance/numbing symptom clusters. Tonic immobility also fully mediated the relation between fear and reexperiencing symptoms, and partially mediated relations between fear and overall PTSD symptom severity, and avoidance/numbing symptoms. Results suggest that tonic immobility could be one path through which trauma survivors develop PTSD symptoms. Further study of tonic immobility may inform our ability to treat trauma victims.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Tonic immobility mediates the influence of peritraumatic fear and perceived inescapability on posttraumatic stress symptom severity among sexual assault survivors

Bovin

Jager‐Hyman

Gold

et al. 2008

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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“…15 The origins of these reactions have been addressed in an evolutionary context. 16,17 Human fainting in response to blood/injury stimuli may be a trait evolved from the tonic immobility or "playing dead" observed in many animal species when confronted with specific fears. During this reaction, bradycardia and vasodilatation have been observed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predisposition to Vasovagal Syncope in Subjects With Blood/Injury Phobia

et al. 2001

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Background-Most subjects with blood/injury phobia experience syncope or presyncope as part of the phobic response.We tested the hypothesis that these subjects have a constitutional autonomic dysregulation that predisposes them to vasovagal syncope during head-up tilt. Methods and Results-We studied 11 subjects (9 females, 2 males) who had a history of syncope or presyncope only in response to a blood or injury stimulus and 11 healthy matched controls (10 females, 1 male) without a history of syncope. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured during a 15-minute baseline period with subjects in the supine position and then during 45 minutes of head-up tilt to 70°. Measurements at rest did not differ between the blood phobic and control subjects. During tilt, 9 (82%) of the 11 blood phobic subjects experienced presyncope or syncope, leading to termination of the study after 22Ϯ17 minutes of tilt. Only 1 (9%) of the 11 control subjects experienced presyncope ( 2 ϭ11.7, Pϭ0.001). Hemodynamic responses to tilt were consistent with a vasovagal mechanism in the blood phobic subjects, with simultaneous decreases in BP and HR during tilt. During tilt, systolic BP fell by 21Ϯ15 mm Hg (Pϭ0.001), and HR fell by 22Ϯ25 bpm (Pϭ0.01). By contrast, BP and HR were very stable in the control group. Conclusions-Subjects with syncope related to blood/injury phobia have an underlying autonomic dysregulation predisposing them to neurally mediated syncope, even in the absence of any blood or injury stimulus. Fainting related to these stimuli may in large part be due to dysfunction in neural circulatory control, which may secondarily lead to the phobia because of repeated syncopal events.

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“…[6,7] TI typically terminates abruptly with either dramatic flight or defensive attack. [4,44] The research literature on TI in humans centers primarily on interpersonal trauma involving sexual assault.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%