Non-human animals basically do not laugh, so laughing is a human-specific emotional expression. The fact that laughter boosts immunity has become known from various studies and among them, cancer treatment is attracting attention because laughing increases the number of immune cells.
So what effect does laughter have on the brain? According to a research report from Tohoku University’s Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), the prefrontal cortex of the brain works actively when laughing.
In this study, individual’s were asked to watch a video of a teacher dressed as a bowling pin while during lecture, and how their brain reacted when laughing was examined. The results showed that laughter was more active in the right prefrontal cortex than when the brain is relaxed.
“Laughter” is like listening to comics or simply just talking to a good friend. But right now, it’s difficult to go out frequently due to COVID-19, so it is recommend to read aloud novels or books that can make you laugh. It seems that reading pleasant texts, laughing and having fun can stimulate the prefrontal cortex and help train the brain. It is also known that reading aloud activates the brain, so if “laughing” is added, a positive brain training effect can be expected.