Tonic immobility during re-experiencing the traumatic event in posttraumatic stress disorder

Tonic immobility (TI) is an adaptive, reflexive and involuntary defence response, characterised by profound but reversible motor inhibition and muscular rigidity, supressed vocalization, tremors, intermittent periods of eye closure, and analgesia with evidence of a preserved awareness of the surroundings (Gallup, 1977; Marx, Forsyth, Gallup, Fuse and Lexington, 2008). TI has been observed across species and is thought to occur in life-threatening situations, which are both inescapable and illicit intensive fear.

Source: Psychiatry Research - June 21, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Rianne A. de Kleine, Muriel A. Hagenaars, Agnes van Minnen Source Type: research