I, as I’m sure many other are, am ticklish at the slightest touch, bursting out laughing at one pinch to the side or touch to my toes. As my hall mate scared me half to death last night, jumping out of nowhere and pushing in my side, as I fell on the floor half panicked, half dying of laughter, I wondered to myself, what makes an individual so ticklish?
In a study done by How Science Works, it speaks about why the human reacts in laughter to being “tickled.” Obviously we all have senses, laying in nerves throughout our body, allowing us to response in reaction to interacting with different things like touch. A specific nerve that is responsible forthe ticklish response is called the somatosensory cortex. The simple sensation that brings on the laughter is because this cortex has receptors that sends to the brain that the action is affecting the individual. The cortex sense the touch and creates a response, along with the help of the anterior cingulate cortex. The sense also goes through this passage as these two aspects of the nervous system work together, we all are inevitably on the floor thrashing around in laughter, unable to explain why we can’t breathe after many pinching to the side. Tickling can be either from a light, soft touch, like simply sprinkling fingers over toes, or a strong squeeze to the side- regardless, it can create the same reaction. The most known areas of sensitivity are usually, armpits, sides, neck, etc.
Another scientist and educator, Dr. Emily Grossman investigated information based on this funny phenomenon as well. She gives possible explanations for why exactly individuals have this tticklish sensation. Besides the cerebellum that controls this sensations reaction, she also brings up a statement that being tickled affects other parts of the brain like the Rolandic Operculum and Hypothalamus. These areas stimulate movement that coincides with reactions of being tickled.
Additionally, this also opens up the explanation why we cannot tickle ourselves. These two sections of the brain that are responsible for noticing the sensation are in the cerebellum. Because the tickle is not unexpected from ourselves controlling the sensation, our minds are prepared, and the reaction is not the same. Our mind disregards this “information” since we anticipate the action, it is not a unknown sensation. This is why I believe this particular topic is due to direct causation. There is no third variables no reverse causation that creates the reaction of being “ticklish,” but rather the action of grabbing a side, tickling toes or under the neck that causes the stimulation in the brain, and the reflex of a laugh and squirm.
I still give a major props to those who can keep a straight face when someone tickles them, trying to get a laugh. As for me, I can finally understand the logistics to my sporadic spaz attacks after being tickled. Everyone is different, sensations, brain activity, and reactions to certain stimuli, and the aspect of tickling sure applies.