How is laughter triggered?

(Image: Pixabay CC0) - Laughter is a form of vocal communication that can interfere with speech: who hasn't had a fit of laughter that prevented them from speaking? Thanks to functional imaging, a research team from the University of Fribourg was able to locate the areas of the brain in which these two systems interact. The results highlight the importance of brain stem circuits for the control of laughter . Laughter is a form of vocalization that can be triggered as a reflex reaction in early childhood by simple stimuli, such as tickling. Adults, on the other hand, experience it in more complex situations. We actually use laughter as a form of communication in society. We can laugh at a funny situation or have an unquenchable laugh at a tickle. Emotional processing of laughter - Until now, only a few studies have been able to investigate the circuits that trigger laughter through functional imaging, i.e., by representing the activities of the brain.