Effect of viewing a humorous vs. nonhumorous film on bronchial responsiveness in patients with bronchial asthma

Physiol Behav. 2004 Jun;81(4):681-4. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.03.010.

Abstract

The effect of viewing a humorous film on bronchial responsiveness to methacholine [methacholine study: 20 healthy participants and 20 patients with house dust mite (HDM)-allergic bronchial asthma (BA)] or to epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg; EGCg study: 15 normal participants and 15 EGCg-allergic BA patients) was studied. At baseline, bronchial challenge test to methacholine (20 normal participants and 20 HDM-allergic BA patients) or EGCg (15 normal participants and 15 EGCg-allergic BA patients) were performed. After 2 weeks, patients and healthy participants were randomly assigned to watch a humorous or a nonhumorous film. Two weeks later, the alternate film was watched. Immediately after viewing, bronchial challenge test to methacholine or ECGg to each study group were performed. Viewing a humorous film significantly reduced bronchial responsiveness to methacholine or EGCg, while viewing a nonhumorous film failed to do so in BA patients without affecting bronchial responsiveness to methacholine or EGCg in healthy participants. These findings indicate that viewing a humorous film may be useful in the treatment and study of BA.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affect*
  • Allergens
  • Asthma / physiopathology*
  • Asthma / psychology*
  • Asthma / therapy
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / chemically induced
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / psychology*
  • Bronchial Hyperreactivity / therapy
  • Bronchial Provocation Tests / methods
  • Bronchoconstrictor Agents
  • Catechin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laughter Therapy / psychology*
  • Male
  • Methacholine Chloride
  • Reference Values
  • Respiratory Function Tests / psychology
  • Wit and Humor as Topic / psychology*

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Bronchoconstrictor Agents
  • Methacholine Chloride
  • Catechin
  • gallocatechol