Influence of the Hypnotic Trance on Plasma 17-Hydroxycorticosteroid Concentration

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Abstract
In a pilot study and a formal experiment, plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration was observed to drop to unusually low levels (3 μg./100 ml. or less) at the end of 90 min. of deep, relaxing, hypnotic trance. In the formal experiment on 12 subjects who were very susceptible to hypnosis, the low plasma 17-OHCS levels occurred in 25% of the hypnotic sessions, but only rarely in control periods (p < .0001). This trance-associated phenomenon could not be reproduced consistently in individual subjects, nor was it possible to predict its occurrence from any obvious characteristics of the trance experience. These decreases in 17-OHCS concentration may be related to the tension-relieving or the euphoric aspects of deep hypnosis. It is important to take into account possible physiological effects of the trance per se when evaluating physiological changes during subsequent hypnotic induction of affect.

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