Interoception as a function of hypnotizability during rest and a
heartbeat counting task
Abstract
Interoception is mainly related to morpho-functional characteristics of
the insula, which shows hypnotizability-related differences in grey
matter volume. Interoceptive accuracy (IA, measured by the heartbeat
counting task and by HEP, heartbeat evoked cortical potential) is lower
in high (highs) than in low hypnotizables (lows). The aim of the present
study was to investigate IA in highs, lows, and medium hypnotizables
(mediums), who represent most of the population (according to the
Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale (SHSS), Form A), during a session
including a simple relaxation (Part 1) and three trials of consecutive
open eyes, closed eyes, heartbeat counting and post-counting conditions
(Part 2). ECG and EEG were recorded in 14 highs, 14 mediums and 18 lows.
HEP were extracted throughout the entire session and IA index was
obtained for the heartbeat counting task. In Part 1, significant
hypnotizability-related differences were observed in the right central
region in both early and late HEP components, with lows showing positive
and highs/mediums negative HEP amplitudes. In Part 2, the same group
differences were limited to the early HEP component. Moreover, in the
left frontal regions, only mediums modified their HEP during the
counting task with respect to the open/closed eyes conditions, whereas
highs displayed HEP differences between counting and post-counting rest.
In conclusion, highs and mediums seem to be more similar than mediums
and lows regarding HEP, despite the absence of differences in the
counting task. Nonetheless, a negative correlation between SHSS scores
and HEP amplitudes was observed in the regions showing group
differences.