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Life is too short to be taken seriously. Humor has been one of the facets of life that are truly human and it has given us the opportunity to reflect upon our existence in unique ways that go beyond the concepts of introspection and experience.
Researchers at Stanford University have used neuroimaging to study this critical human attribute with the goal of shedding light on the affective, cognitive, and motor networks involved in humor processing. These results are published in Neuron. Until now, research has not been able to definitely identify the subcortical correlates of the most fundamental feature of humor - the idea of reward. By showing cartoons to subjects, the scientists found that same reward circuits in the brain that are excited by cocaine, money or a pretty face are activated. One brain region in particular, the nucleus accumbens, lit up seconds after a very funny cartoon but remained quiet after a lacklustre one.
By using a high-field (3 Tesla) event-related functional MRI study, they clearly demonstrated that humor modulates activity in several cortical regions, and they suggest the new concept that humor engages a network of subcortical regions including the nucleus accumbens, a key component of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system. Interestingly, the degree of humor intensity was positively correlated with BOLD signal intensity in these regions.
Some possibilities for this type of research include additional research into pain management, the early diagnosis of depression, (since depression alters an appreciation of humor) traumatic brain injury as well as the cognitive functioning of the elderly. International Society for Humor Studies
Bibliography on Humor and Therapy
Humor and creative life styles (by a friend and colleague)
Psychological health and sense of humor
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