Laughter counteracts enhancement of plasma neurotrophin levels and allergic skin wheal responses by mobile phone-mediated stress.
Kimata H. · 2004
View Original AbstractMobile phone use triggered stress responses that worsened allergic skin reactions in patients with atopic dermatitis.
Plain English Summary
Researchers studied patients with atopic dermatitis (a chronic skin condition) to see how mobile phone use affects their allergic responses and stress markers. They found that writing messages on a mobile phone increased stress hormones and worsened allergic skin reactions, while watching comedy videos beforehand prevented these negative effects. This suggests that mobile phone use can trigger stress responses that worsen allergic conditions, but positive emotions may provide protection.
Why This Matters
This study reveals an important connection between mobile phone use and immune system responses that goes beyond direct EMF exposure effects. The research demonstrates that even the act of using a mobile phone can trigger measurable stress responses that worsen allergic conditions in vulnerable individuals. What makes this particularly significant is that it shows how everyday phone activities like texting can have immediate biological consequences for people with compromised immune systems. The study also highlights the complex interplay between technology use, stress, and health outcomes. While the sample was limited to patients with atopic dermatitis, the findings suggest that mobile phone use may create additional health burdens for those already dealing with immune system challenges. The protective effect of laughter is intriguing, but the core finding remains concerning: routine phone use appears to trigger stress responses that can worsen existing health conditions.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this study is to invesitgate 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 pl...
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.
Show BibTeX
@article{h._2004_laughter_counteracts_enhancement_of_2289,
author = {Kimata H.},
title = {Laughter counteracts enhancement of plasma neurotrophin levels and allergic skin wheal responses by mobile phone-mediated stress.},
year = {2004},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15369195/},
}