EFFECT OF HYPNOTICALLY-INDUCED ANXIETY ON THE PLASMA HYDROCORTISONE LEVEL OF NORMAL SUBJECTS

Abstract

Twelve normal subjects were made anxious by direct suggestion while in a deep, somnambulistic state produced by means of hypnosis. The trends in plasma hydrocortisone level throughout the waking, hypnotized, anxious, and waking periods were significantly different between the female subjects and their controls, but not between the males and their controls. Although hypnosis significantly reduced the plasma hydrocortisone level in both sexes, induction of anxiety raised the level in the female subjects by 75 per cent but did not affect the male subjects. A statistical treatment for trend analysis and comparison has been presented which may be helpful in similar studies.