Laughter is a universal social signal that connects us with other people. However, until now, the brain regions underlying laughter were not well understood. A new study published in the journal Trends in Neurosciences has shed light on the brain’s laughter mechanisms. Researchers analyzed reports from medical procedures in which the brain is electrically stimulated in awake patients, allowing scientists to pinpoint laughter-evoking brain areas.
Two Distinct Networks
The research team, led by Sophie Scott of University College London, found two distinct networks in the brain for laughter: one that elicits spontaneous outbursts and another that produces voluntary, conversational laughter. The spontaneous network consists of brain regions involved in motor control and emotional regulation, including the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, nucleus accumbens, and the temporal pole. The voluntary network comprises areas involved purely in motor control of laughing and smiling.
The study’s findings have implications for our understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders marked by altered laughter. The researchers also hope that their findings can serve as a kind of Rosetta stone for decoding multiple aspects of communication and the social use of vocalizations.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
