Briefly in education

If you enjoy watching funny TV shows or movies, just anticipating

these events can have a healthful effect, according to a UC Irvine study.

While previous research has shown that watching a one-hour video can

boost the body’s immune system, the new research illustrates that just

anticipating a humorous event triggers positive mood changes.

The results were presented Nov. 13 at the Society for Neuroscience in

San Diego by Lee Berk, assistant professor of family medicine. Berk found

that anticipating a mirthful event reduced levels of tension, anger,

depression, fatigue and confusion up to two days before the actual event.

“Positive anticipation of humor starts the ball rollingin a sense in

which moods begin to change in ways that help the body fight illness,”

Berk said. “We believe this shows that even anticipation can be used to

help patients recover from a wide range of disorders.”

Berk and his colleagues have spent years focusing on the effect moods

have on the immune system and disease. The team is currently exploring

whether this mood-altering anticipation of humor also stimulates the same

reductions in stress hormones and boosts in the immune system seen during

actual laughter.