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J Appl Physiol 90: 1441-1446, 2001;
8750-7587/01 $5.00
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Vol. 90, Issue 4, 1441-1446, April 2001

Respiratory dynamics during laughter

Mario Filippelli1, Riccardo Pellegrino2, Iacopo Iandelli1, Gianni Misuri1, Joseph R. Rodarte3, Roberto Duranti5, Vito Brusasco4, and Giorgio Scano1,5

1 Fondazione Don C. Gnocchi "ONLUS," UOF di Riabilitazione Respiratoria, Centro di S. Maria agli Ulivi, 50020 Pozzolatico, Firenze, Italy; 2 Fisiopatologia Respiratoria, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Croce e Carle, 12100 Cuneo, Italy; 3 Respiratory Section, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030; 4 Cattedra di Fisiopatologia Respiratoria, DISM, Università di Genova, 16132 Genoa, Italy; and 5 Section of Immunoallergology and Respiratory Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze, Italy

Lung and chest wall mechanics were studied during fits of laughter in 11 normal subjects. Laughing was naturally induced by showing clips of the funniest scenes from a movie by Roberto Benigni. Chest wall volume was measured by using a three-dimensional optoelectronic plethysmography and was partitioned into upper thorax, lower thorax, and abdominal compartments. Esophageal (Pes) and gastric (Pga) pressures were measured in seven subjects. All fits of laughter were characterized by a sudden occurrence of repetitive expiratory efforts at an average frequency of 4.6 ± 1.1 Hz, which led to a final drop in functional residual capacity (FRC) by 1.55 ± 0.40 liter (P < 0.001). All compartments similarly contributed to the decrease of lung volumes. The average duration of the fits of laughter was 3.7 ± 2.2 s. Most of the events were associated with sudden increase in Pes well beyond the critical pressure necessary to generate maximum expiratory flow at a given lung volume. Pga increased more than Pes at the end of the expiratory efforts by an average of 27 ± 7 cmH2O. Transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) at FRC and at 10% and 20% control forced vital capacity below FRC was significantly higher than Pdi at the same absolute lung volumes during a relaxed maneuver at rest (P < 0.001). We conclude that fits of laughter consistently lead to sudden and substantial decrease in lung volume in all respiratory compartments and remarkable dynamic compression of the airways. Further mechanical stress would have applied to all the organs located in the thoracic cavity if the diaphragm had not actively prevented part of the increase in abdominal pressure from being transmitted to the chest wall cavity.

respiratory muscles; chest wall kinematics; expiratory flow limitation; laughing


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