Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35687720›Full record

ArticleBrain and behavior2022

Toward reanimating the laughter-involved large-scale brain networks to alleviate affective symptoms.

Shahab A Zarei, Seyedeh-Saeedeh Yahyavi, Iman Salehi, Milad Kazemiha, Ali-Mohammad Kamali, Mohammad Nami

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brain and behavior, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 35% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. From seeing to showing: towards a neuroscience of emotion production.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 4 countries.

Shahab A ZareiInstitute of Neuroscience, The Center of Excellence in Brain and Intelligence Technology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
Seyedeh-Saeedeh YahyaviDepartment of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Iman SalehiDANA Brain Health Institute, Iranian Neuroscience Society, Fars Chapter, Shiraz, Iran.
Milad KazemihaDepartment of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Ali-Mohammad KamaliDepartment of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.ORCID 0000-0001-6617-2065
Mohammad NamiDepartment of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.ORCID 0000-0003-1410-5340
National Iranian Oil Company (Iran) · IRChinese Academy of Sciences · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe practicality of the idea whether the laughter-involved large-scale brain networks can be stimulated to remediate affective symptoms, namely depression, has remained elusive.

methodsIn this study, 25 healthy individuals were tested through 21-channel quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) setup upon resting state and while submitted to standardized funny video clips (corated by two behavioral neuroscientists and a verified expert comedian, into neutral and mildly to highly funny). We evaluated the individuals' facial expressions against the valence and intensity of each stimulus through the Nuldos face analysis software. The study also employed an eye-tracking setup to examine fixations, gaze, and saccadic movements upon each task. In addition, changes in polygraphic parameters were monitored upon resting state and exposure to clips using the 4-channel Nexus polygraphy setup.

resultsThe happy facial expression analysis, as a function of rated funny clips, showed a significant difference against neutral videos (p < 0.001). In terms of the polygraphic changes, heart rate variability and the trapezius muscle surface electromyography measures were significantly higher upon exposure to funny vs. neutral videos (p < 0.5). The average pupil size and fixation drifts were significantly higher and lower, respectively, upon exposure to funny videos (p < 0.01). The qEEG data revealed the highest current source density (CSD) for the alpha frequency band localized in the left frontotemporal network (FTN) upon exposure to funny clips. Additionally, left FTN acquired the highest value for theta coherence z-score, while the beta CSD predominantly fell upon the salience network (SN).

conclusionsThese preliminary data support the notion that left FTN may be targeted as a cortical hub for noninvasive neuromodulation as a single or adjunct therapy in remediating affective disorders in the clinical setting. Further studies are needed to test the hypotheses derived from the present report.

Indexed as

LaughterAffective SymptomsBrainElectroencephalographyEmotionsFacial ExpressionHumanseye-trackerface analysislaughter networkpolygraphyqEEG

Identifiers

PMID35687720
PMCPMC9304826
OpenAlexW4281748663

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.