New study finds anticipating a laugh reduces our stres...( SAN DIEGO CA In 2006 researchers inv...)

SAN DIEGO, CA In 2006 researchers investigating the interaction between the brain, behavior, and the immune system found that simply anticipating a mirthful laughter experience boosted health-protecting hormones. Now, two years later, the same researchers have found that the anticipation of a positive humorous laughter experience also reduces potentially detrimental stress hormones. According to Dr. Lee Berk, the study teams lead researcher of Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well.

In their earlier work the researchers found that the anticipation of mirthful laughter had surprising and significant effects. Two hormones beta-endorphins (the family of chemicals that alleviates depression) and human growth hormone (HGH; which helps with immunity) increased by 27 and 87 percent respectively when volunteers anticipated watching a humorous video. There was no such increase among the control group who did not anticipate watching the humor film.

Using a similar protocol, the current research found that the same anticipation of laughter also reduced the levels of three stress hormones. Cortisol (termed the stress hormone), epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) and dopac, a dopamine catabolite (brain chemical which helps produce epinephrine), were reduced 39, 70 and 38 percent, respectively (statistically significant compared to the control group). Chronically released high stress hormone levels can weaken the immune system.

The research is entitled Cortisol and Catecholamine Stress Hormone Decrease Is Associated with the Behavior of Perceptual Anticipation of Mirthful Laughter. It was conducted by Lee Berk with Stanley A. Tan, both of the Oak Crest Health Research Institute, Loma Linda, CA; and Dottie Berk, Loma Linda University Health Care, Loma Linda. Lee Berk is presenting the teams finding
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