Laughter is a pleasant physical reaction and emotion consisting usually of rhythmical, often audible contractions of the diaphragm and other parts of the respiratory system.
Laughter is a response to certain external or internal stimuli.
Laughter can rise from such activities as being tickled, or from humorous stories, imagery, videos or thoughts.
It is considered an auditory expression of a positive emotional states: joy, mirth, happiness, or relief.
It may be caused by a contrary emotional states such as embarrassment, surprise, or confusion such as nervous laughter or courtesy laugh.
Factors that indicate how a person experiences laughter in a given situation include: age, gender, education, language, and culture.
Laughter is a human behavior regulated by the brain, helping humans clarify their intentions in social interaction and providing an emotional context to conversations.
Laughter is used as a signal for being part of a group
Laughter signals acceptance and positive interactions with others.
Laughter is sometimes contagious, and the laughter of one person can itself provoke laughter from others as a positive feedback.
Gelotology is the study of humor and laughter, and its psychological and physiological effects on the human body.
Laughter is considered as an audible expression or appearance of excitement, an inward feeling of joy and happiness.
Laughter may follow jokes, tickling, and other stimuli completely unrelated to psychological state, such as nitrous oxide.
The appearance of vocal sounds of laughter occur at 15 weeks to four months of age.
Laughter is probably genetic.
Aphonogelia is a very rare neurological condition has been observed whereby the sufferer is unable to laugh out loud.
Laughter is linked with the activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, that produces endorphins.
Parts of the limbic system are involved in laughter, as this system is involved in emotions and helps us with functions necessary for survival.
The structures in the limbic system that are involved in laughter are the hippocampus and the amygdala.
There is no known laugh center in the brain.
Laughter’s expression depends on neural paths arising in close association with the telencephalic and diencephalic centers concerned with respiration.
Supranuclear pathways, including those from the limbic system that mediate emotional expressions such as laughter, probably come into synaptic relation in the reticular core of the brain stem.
Purely emotional responses such as laughter are mediated by subcortical structures, especially the hypothalamus, and the cerebral cortex can modulate or suppress them.
Some drugs are well known for their laughter-facilitating properties : ethanol and cannabis.
Laughter causes the dilatation of the inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, and increases blood flow.
It is theorized that beta-endorphin-like compounds released by the hypothalamus activate receptors on the endothelial surface to release nitric oxide, thereby resulting in dilation of vessels.
Other cardioprotective properties of nitric oxide include reduction of inflammation and decreased platelet aggregation.
Laughter has beneficial biochemical effects: reductions in stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine.
With laughing the brain releases endorphins that can relieve some physical pain.
Laughter also boosts the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T-cells, leading to a stronger immune system.
A study found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh and be able to recognize humor in a variety of situations, compared to people of the same age without heart disease.
Laughter often works to manage delicate and serious moments.
Laughter is highly communicative and helps accomplish actions and regulate relationships.
Laughter is a common response to tickling, although most people find it unpleasant: being tickled often causes heavy laughter, thought to be an uncontrollable reflex of the body.
Common causes for laughter are sensations of joy and humor.
Laughter is called the relief theory, releasing tension and psychic energy justifying beliefs that laughter is beneficial for one’s health.
Laughter can be used as a coping mechanism when one is upset, angry or sad.
Laughter may have its biological origins as a kind of shared expression of relief at the passing of danger.
It has also been determined that eyes moisten during laughter as a reflex from the tear glands.
Laughter is not always a pleasant experience.
Laughter is also associated with several negative phenomena.
Excessive laughter can lead to cataplexy, and unpleasant laughter spells, excessive elation, and fits of laughter can all be considered negative aspects of laughter.
Unpleasant laughter spells, known as sham mirth, usually occur in people who have a neurological condition, including patients with pseudobulbar palsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
These patients appear to be laughing out of amusement but report that they are feeling undesirable sensations.
Excessive elation is a common symptom associated with bipolar disorder psychoses and mania/hypomania.
Patient’s with schizophrenic psychoses do not understand humor or get any joy out of it.
A fitSome believe that fits of laughter represent a form of epilepsy.
Laughter is available to everyone and it provides benefits to a person’s physical, emotional, and social well being.
Laughter therapy are that it can relieve stress and relax the whole body.
Laughter therapy can also boost the immune system and release endorphins to relieve pain.
Additionally, laughter can help prevent heart disease by increasing blood flow and improving the function of blood vessels.
Emotional benefits of laughter include diminishing anxiety or fear, improving overall mood, and adding joy to one’s life.
Laughter is also known to reduce allergic reactions in a preliminary study related to dust mite allergy sufferers.
Laughter strengthens relationships, improving teamwork and reducing conflicts, and making oneself more attractive to others.
Laughter therapy can be a significant enhancement to life.
There is not enough data to clearly establish that laughter could be used as an overall means of healing.
Japan conducted an open-label randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of laughter therapy on quality of life in patients using laughter yoga, comedy, clown and jokes: laughter therapy was helpful in improving quality of life and cancer symptoms in some areas for cancer survivors.
Improvements were seen in the area of depression, anxiety and stress levels.
There is a wide range of experiences with laughter.
In a study of 80 people keeping a daily laughter record, found they laughed an average of 18 times per day.
Some people laughing as many as 89 times per day, and others laughing as few as 0 times per day.
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