This is the reason why we laugh when tickled

Medical Video: Why Are We Ticklish? Why do We Laugh?

Are you someone who is easily amused? Sometimes, someone has a high sensitivity to touch. Some parts of the body, such as the armpit, stomach and neck if touched sometimes make you jump amused. You will also feel amused when someone tickles you. But have you ever noticed that when you feel amused you actually laugh? Not infrequently someone laughs to cry when feeling very, very excited. What is the reason for your laughing because of amusement? Is it because of something funny?

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Why are we laughing because of amusement?

There are two types of 'phenomena' amused, namely:

Gargalesis: this condition is where you are very amused, so you laugh. The sensitive point in the body that has the potential to feel great tingling is the armpit and stomach
Knismesis: This tingling taste tends to be mild, you tend to feel an itchy sensation rather than triggering laughter

Why can we feel a tingling sensation? When nerve endings in the epidermal layer (skin layer) are stimulated by touch, these nerves will signal the nervous system in the brain. The research cited by the Mental Floss website found that there were two areas in the brain that made a tingling sensation appear. The first is the somatosensory cortex, which is the area responsible for analyzing touch. The second is the anterior cingulate cortex, which plays a role in creating a pleasant feeling. So, when you get a light touch, the somatosensory cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex create that sensation as tingling.

Laughter turns out to be one of the body's forms of defense

Another study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging machines (fMRI) shows laughter because of jokes and laughs when amused can activate an area in the brain called Rolandic Operculum.

Sounds strange huh? Rolandic Operculum is in charge of controlling facial movements and our voice and emotional reactions. Not only that, laughing because tingling can activate the hypothalamus - the part of the brain that regulates the response to anticipation of pain. So the nerves can send light touch signals to various parts of the brain. Some scientists conclude that laughter because of tingling can be said to be a natural signal of our form of resistance. This is like your body learning to protect itself from attacks.

Keep in mind that we have a natural ability to protect ourselves. In addition, laughing can reduce the pressure of the 'attack' tingling, can also prevent us from getting hurt. The most tingly areas of the body when tickled are usually the most vulnerable also get injured.

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Tickling can strengthen the bond between mother and baby

You might be annoyed at someone who tickles you until it's amused. It feels annoying, wanting to reply to making that person amused. But did you know that tickling can create a bond between mother and baby? Yes, according to Robert Provine, neuroscientist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and author of the book Laughter: A Scientific Investigation, quoted by the Mental Floss website, tickling is one of the initial ways of forming communication between mother and baby.

But, why can't we be amused about ourselves?

When we take action to tickle ourselves, of course you will not feel amused. There is a part of the brain called the cerebellum, which is located in the back of the brain and serves to regulate movement. In other words, you can predict the movements that will be carried out. Likewise, when you will tickle yourself, you can predict it, so that warning signals appear in the brain, the brain tells us to be alert when we get the attack.

But, can we also be alert to attacks from other people? Of course you can be alert, there are some ordinary light touches that don't cause tingling too. But not all touches from people can you guess the movement. While the light touch of the finger itself is really predictable.

The touch of the finger itself does not attract the attention of your brain, so the brain ignores the information, so that information does not enter your consciousness. This is associated with sensory attenuation. The brain identifies it as insignificant information, not something that requires special concentration.

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This is the reason why we laugh when tickled

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