Aim: 

To investigate whether the peculiar attentional and imagery abilities associated with susceptibility to hypnosis make postural control in highly hypnotizable subjects (Highs) less vulnerable to sensory alteration than in individuals with low hypnotic susceptibility (Lows).

Methods: 

Highs and Lows participated in an experimental session aimed at monitoring the mean velocity of the movement of the centre of pressure (CoP), the area described by its trajectory and the ratio between the length of its trajectory and the area during alteration of the visual and leg proprioceptive input due to eye closure and to an unstable support. Stabilogram diffusion analysis was also performed.

Results: 

The stabilometric variables showed that Highs and Lows responded differently to alteration of the visual and leg proprioceptive inputs and that the CoP movement was generally larger and faster in Highs. The stabilogram diffusion analysis indicated a different set point in Highs and Lows and suggested that Highs are more independent of specific sensory information than Lows, likely due to different abilities in sensory re-weighting and/or peculiar internal models of postural control operating in the two groups.

Conclusion: 

The results support the hypothesis of an interaction between hypnotizability and sensori-motor integration within the perspective of high pervasiveness of the hypnotizability trait, which modulates cognitive, autonomic and somatic functions.