Is there tonic immobility in humans? Biological evidence from victims of traumatic stress
Open accessAbstract
Tonic immobility, characterized by profound motor inhibition, is elicited under inescapable threat in many species. To fully support the existence of tonic immobility in humans, our aim was to elicit this reaction in a laboratory setting and measure it objectively. To mimic exposure to life-threatening events in the lab, trauma-exposed participants with PTSD (n=18) and without PTSD (n=15) listened to the script of their autobiographical trauma. Posturography and electrocardiography were employed. Reports of script-induced immobility were associated with restricted area of body sway and were correlated with accelerated heart rate and diminished heart rate variability, implying that tonic immobility is preserved in humans as an involuntary defensive strategy. Immobility reports seemed more evident in PTSD, suggesting that, in some patients, tonic immobility may be elicited during re-experiencing episodes in daily life. This study provided a measure of tonic immobility, a peritraumatic reaction for which cumulative clinical evidence had linked to the severity of PTSD.
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The common denominator in diverse manifestations of pathological dissociation is a state of physical or behavioral disorientation and shut-down that may be the result of the final stage of the stress response when freeze, flight, and fight responses have failed to restore safety and homeostasis: tonic immobility.
“The common denominator in these diverse manifestations of pathological dissociation is a state of a state of physical or behavioral disorientation and shut-down that may be the result of the final stage of the stress response when freeze, flight, and fight responses have failed to restore safety and homeostasis: tonic immobility [186].”
From Complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder (2021) · cites this paper as [186]
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn this model freezing is associated with reduced body sway.
“In this model freezing is associated with, and is thus measurable via, reduced body sway (see also Volchan et al., 2017; 2011).”
From Trauma-related dissociation and the autonomic nervous system: a systematic literature review of psychophysiological correlates of dissociative experiencing in PTSD patients (2022) · cites this paper as Volchan et al., 2011
Tonic immobility has been reported by study participants with PTSD under traumatic memory recall, suggesting that traumatic memories remain connected to subconscious postural responses.
“Tonic immobility has been reported by study participants with PTSD under traumatic memory recall ( Volchan et al., 2011 ; Fragkaki et al., 2016 ; de Kleine et al., 2018 ), suggesting that traumatic memories remain connected to subconscious postural responses.”
From The brain-body disconnect: A somatic sensory basis for trauma-related disorders (2022) · cites this paper as Volchan et al., 2011
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References 64 · Cited by 101
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Foa, E.B., Keane, T.M., Friedman, M.J., Chen, J.A. (Eds.), Psychopharmacology for Adults. , second ed. The Guilford Press, New York, pp. 245-268.
- Liberson, W.T., Smith, R.W., Stern, A., 1961. Experimental studies of the prolonged "hypnotic withdrawal" in guinea pigs. Journal of Neuropsychiatry 3, 28-34.
- Authors
- Volchan, E., Souza, G. G., Franklin, C. M., Norte, C. E., Rocha-Rego, V., Oliveira, J. M., David, I. A., Mendlowicz, M. V., Coutinho, E. S. F., Fiszman, A., Berger, W., Marques-Portella, C., & Figueira, I.
- Affiliations
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR)
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (BR)
- Universidade Federal Fluminense (BR)
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Volchan, Eliane
- ORCID
- Venue
- Biological Psychology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-09
- Volume
- 88
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 13-19
- ISSN
- 0301-0511 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1997904605
- Cited by
- 101
- References
- 64
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 7.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Biological Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Americanae (AECID Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Americanae (AECID Library) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
- Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- tonic immobility, post-traumatic stress disorder, motor inhibition, heart rate variability, heart rate, postural sway, defense strategy, re-experiencing
- MeSH terms
- Acoustic Stimulation, Adult, Electrocardiography, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Posture, Psychometrics, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Immobility Response, Tonic
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