Humans are not actually the only creatures that can feel tickling. Chimpanzees, dolphins, dogs and rats also have this feature. At the same time, everyone’s reaction to tickling is approximately the same: first – a smile, then – laughter. But scientists decided to learn more about tickling. They selected 12 volunteers to do this.
The participants in the experiment each sat in a chair and each had their legs and armpits exposed. Before starting the work, the volunteers had a little talk with each other and it was all filmed on a GoPro.
When the researchers examined the resulting videos, they found that the first reaction to tickling was a change in people’s facial expressions. About 300 milliseconds after the tickling began, a smile began to form, and then his breathing changed rapidly. And that’s not all: 200 milliseconds later, the participants started laughing or screaming.
The volunteers also noted that the legs were the most ticklish for them.
In the second experiment, people were asked to tickle themselves while their partner tickled them. This action, as it turned out, greatly reduced the sensitivity of these people to tickling.
Until now, scientists cannot say exactly what happens to the human nervous system during tickling. However, they suggest that the reason people can’t tickle themselves is because when we touch ourselves, the brain sends signals that inhibit tickling. Otherwise, we would be tickled by any touch of our own body.
Source: Ferra
