Yawning is a stereotyped
phylogenetically ancient phenomenon that occurs in almost
all vertebrates. As an emotional behavior and an
expressive movement, yawning has many consequences;
nevertheless, it has so far been poorly addressed in
medical research and practice.
Bringing together the latest
research from many fields, this volume integrates current
insights within embryology, ethology, neurophysiology,
psychology, fMRI and pathology. The phylogenetic and
ontogenetic aspects of yawning offer an interesting
perspective on human development, and its occurrence in
neurological diseases - an area explored by only a few
investigators - may provide useful clinical information.
This book will make valuable and
fascinating reading to neurologists, sleep specialists,
psychologists, ethologists and pharmacologists, as well
as to anybody interested in uncovering the mystery of
yawning.
Fields of Interest Neurology;
Psychology; Behavioral Research, Neurobiology,
Pharmacology, Primatology, Sleep Research
Along with laughing, crying, or
even coughing, yawning is a mysterious and fascinating
physiological phenomenon, which has also been little
addressed in disease. These phenomena share in common a
complex, paroxysmal, motor-respiratory interaction, with
the characteristic to be strongly influenced by emotional
factors. For instance, while yawning is commonly
associated in the public with boring situations, it is
also typically leading to a feeling of pleasure,
especially when its full completion takes place, with
tonic limb extension.
However, many aspects of yawning
remain unknown, and it may be a surprise to many of us to
read in the following pages that it may also correspond
to a strong sexual signal in several instances… Dr.
Olivier Walusinski is to be congratulated for putting
together the fascinating chapters of this book, which
concentrate on a topic, on which neurologists would be
unable to write more than one sentence. The phylogenetic
and ontogenetic (with fetal yawning) aspects highlight an
interesting perspective on biological and human
development, while the occurrence and features of yawning
in neurological diseases also constitute a field, which
has been explored by only few investigators.
Dr. Walusinski not just one of
them, but it is obvious that he has now become the most
encyclopedic expert on yawning and its associated
manifestations, as well as its neurobiological
correlates. And it should not be ignored that he has
accumulated this large sum of knowledge in parallel to
his daily general practitioner work for the last 30
years ! Acquiring scientific peer-recognition is not
an easy task for an « outsider », and
we must say that the actual result, contained in the
present book, is beyond any of our initial expectations.
Contrary to most other books focusing on a specific
neurological behavior or condition, the present work
opens surprising windows, on history of neurology, human
and animal behavior, and even philosophy. The perfect
anti-yawning reading !
