Ever wondered why even if we are not tired, we yawn if someone else does?It is because the human propensity for contagious yawning is triggered automatically by primitive reflexes in a brain area responsible for motor function, a research suggests.
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What findings say?
- Contagious yawning is triggered involuntarily when we observe another person yawn.
- In addition,it is a common form of echophenomena.
- Echophenomena,the automatic imitation of another’s words (echolalia) or actions (echopraxia).
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- The findings showed that our urge to yawn is increased if we are instructed to resist yawning.
- And no matter how hard we try to stifle a yawn, it might change how we yawn but it won’t alter our propensity to yawn.
- This research has shown that the ‘urge’ is increased by trying to stop yourself.
- Using electrical stimulation we were able to increase excitability.
- And in doing so increase the propensity for contagious yawning.
- The findings may be important in understanding association between motor excitability and the occurrence of echophenomena.
- Furthermore,in a wide range of conditions linked to increased cortical excitability and/or decreased physiological inhibition.
- Such as epilepsy, dementia, autism, and Tourette syndrome.
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- For the study the team used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to analyse volunteers.
- In addition,who viewed video clips showing someone else yawning.
- And were instructed to either resist yawning or to allow themselves to yawn.
Read also:Poor sleep may make you fat, raise diabetes riskEchophenomena isn’t just a human trait, it is found in chimpanzees and dogs too.
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