Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Methods to Quantify Pharmacologically Induced Alterations in Motor Function in Human Incomplete SCI
Published on: April 18, 2011
Motor and sensory dissociative phenomena associated with induced catalepsy: A brief communication
Muriel A Hagenaars1, Karin Roelofs, Kees Hoogduin
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands. m.hagenaars@psych.ru.nl
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate dissociative symptoms that may occur as an epiphenomenon of tactile-induced catalepsy. In 15 participants, catalepsy was induced in the right arm, and dissociative symptoms were evaluated using a self-report questionnaire. In comparison with the left, noncataleptic arm, the right cataleptic arm was perceived differently. In addition to increased rigidity, the cataleptic arm was characterized by the presence of paresthesias, a decreased perception of sense and a decreased awareness of the arm. Moreover, the self-reported changes in perception were significantly correlated to the hypnotically induced arm-immobilization part of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale. In conclusion, catalepsy induction elicits a variety of dissociative symptoms and provides a useful research paradigm for the study of motor-perceptual dissociative phenomena.
Related Concept Videos
Dissociative Amnesia
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Alterations in Muscle Tone ll
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
