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A consistent element throughout our recorded history has been our sense of humor and ability to laugh. Although there have been some studies over the years that have attemped to understand and quantify humor, little research has been done into the neurological correlates. Researchers from the Department of Neuroradiology at the University of Tübingen, Germany and the Department of Psychology, Zurich, Switzerland have examined studies over the last two decades in the journal Brain. They found that 'expression of laughter seems to depend on two partially independent neuronal pathways. The first of these, an ‘involuntary’ or ‘emotionally driven’ system, involves the amygdala, thalamic/hypo- and subthalamic areas and the dorsal/tegmental brainstem. The second, ‘voluntary’ system originates in the premotor/frontal opercular areas and leads through the motor cortex and pyramidal tract to the ventral brainstem.'
There seems to be a coordination of these systems by a laughter-coordinating center in the dorsal upper pons. The real challenge in analyzing the cerebral correlates of humour is the lack of consensus among psychologists on exactly what humour is, and what are its central components. Fortunately, some progress has been made over the last few years and through the use of hypotheses combined with non-invasive methods, researchers suggest that the perception of humour (and depending on the type of humour involved, its mode of transmission, etc.) the right frontal cortex, the medial ventral prefrontal cortex, the right and left posterior (middle and inferior) temporal regions and possibly the cerebellum seem to be involved to varying degrees.
This is only the beginning of an area of study that will surely catch on as quickly as a good joke. As Oscar Wilde said, "Life is far too important to be taken seriously."
There are a number of websites that explore humor and there is even an International Society for Humor Studies.
Teaching Humor
Charlotte's Web - The lighter side of Psych
12:59:43 AM 
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