You may have heard the phrase “Laugh and the whole world laughs with you” a thousand times, but you probably thought that it’s just a phrase. But a new study proved that laughter truly is contagious. It was noted that the brain responds to the sound of laughter and preps the muscles in the face to join in the mirth.
Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist at the University College London said, “It seems that it’s absolutely true that ‘laugh and the whole world laughs with you,’” said “We’ve known for some time that when we are talking to someone, we often mirror their behavior, copying the words they use and mimicking their gestures. Now we’ve shown that the same appears to apply to laughter, too — at least at the level of the brain”.
Scott and her fellow researchers conducted the research by playing a series of sounds to a group of people and measured the responses in their brain with an fMRI scanner. And some sounds, like laughter or a triumphant shout, showed positive effects, while others, like screaming or retching, showed negative effects. All the sounds triggered responses in the premotor cortical region of the brain, that prepares the facial muscles to move in a way that corresponds to the sound.
If there are two people laughing at a joke which you probably didn’t hear, you may as well end up smiling, even if you don’t realize it. So the next time you are feeling a bit low and down, and cannot bring a smile on your face, join the company of those who are sharing some light moments. Or watch a comedy movie. This will truly work !!!
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