title: The association between the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and hypnotizability.
abstract: Hypnosis has puzzled scientists for centuries, and particularly the reason why some people are prone to engaging in suggested experiences discordant with external reality. Absorption in internal experience is one key component of the hypnotic response. The neuropeptide oxytocin has been posited to heighten sensitivity to external cues, and it is possible that individual differences in oxytocin-related capacity to engage in external or internal experiences influences hypnotic response. To test this proposal, 185 Caucasian individuals provided saliva samples for analysis of polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor gene, COMT, and independently completed standardized measures of hypnotizability and absorption. Participants with the GG genotype at rs53576 were characterized by lower hypnotizability and absorption scores than those with the A allele; there was no association between hyponotizability and COMT. These findings provide initial evidence that the capacity to respond to suggestions for altered internal experience is influenced by the oxytocin receptor gene, and is consistent with evidence that oxytocin plays an important role in modulating the extent to which people engage with external versus internal experiences.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: r.bryant@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: Lynette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dobson-Stone
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Schofield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C569600:OXTR protein, human; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin
keywords: Absorption; COMT; Genetic; Hypnotizability; OXTR; Oxytocin