Hilarious Journal Articles #52: Laughter, Mr. Bean, Mobile Phones, and Dermatitis

Laughter counteracts enhancement of plasma neurotrophin levels and allergic skin wheal responses by mobile phone-mediated stress:

Laughter caused by viewing a comic video (Rowan Atkinson's The Best Bits of Mr. Bean) reduced the plasma nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3 levels, and allergic skin wheal responses in patients with atopic dermatitis, whereas viewing a nonhumorous video (weather information) failed to do so. In contrast, stress induced by writing mail on a mobile phone enhanced the plasma nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3 levels, and allergic skin wheal responses. However, previewing the comic video counteracted mobile phone-mediated enhancement of plasma neurotrophins or allergic skin wheal responses, whereas previewing the weather information failed to do so. Taken together, these results suggest that, in patients with atopic dermatitis, writing mail on a mobile phone causes stress and enhances allergic responses with a concomitant increase in plasma neurotrophins that are counteracted by laughter. These results may be useful in the study of pathophysiology and treatment of atopic dermatitis.

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