title: The effect of humor on short-term memory in older adults: a new component for whole-person wellness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For older adults, the damaging effects of aging and stress can impair the ability to learn and sustain memory. Humor, with its associated mirthful laughter, can reduce stress and cortisol, a stress hormone. Chronic release of cortisol can damage hippocampus neurons, leading to impairment of learning and memory.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary goal of this study was to determine whether watching a humorous video had an effect on short-term memory in an older population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research team designed a randomized, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research team recruited 20 normal, healthy, older adults, 11 males and 9 females.
  
  
  METHODS
  The humor group (n = 10, mean = 69.3 ± 3.7 y) self-selected 1 of 2 humorous videos--a Red Skelton comedy or a montage of America's Funniest Home Videos--and watched it for 20 min. A control group (n = 10, mean = 68.7 ± 5.5 y) sat calmly for 20 min and were not allowed to read, sleep, or talk on a cell phone.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test was used to assess short-term memory--learning ability, delayed recall, and visual recognition. Salivary cortisol levels were measured at predetermined times.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Learning ability improved by 38.5% and 24.0% in the humor and control groups, respectively (P = .014). Delayed recall improved by 43.6% and 20.3% in the humor and control groups, respectively (P =.029). Within the humor group, delayed recall (43.6%) was significant compared with learning ability (38.5%) (P = .002). At 3 predetermined time points, significant decreases in salivary cortisol were observed in the humor group (P = .047, P = .046, and P = .062, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study's findings suggest that humor can have clinical benefits and rehabilitative implications and can be implemented in programs that support whole-person wellness for older adults. Learning ability and delayed recall are important to these individuals for a better quality of life--considering mind, body, spirit, social, and economic aspects. Older adults may have age-associated memory deficiencies. However, medical practitioners now can offer positive, enjoyable, and beneficial humor therapies to improve these deficiencies.
authors.forename: Gurinder Singh
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Bains
authors.forename: Lee S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Noha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Daher
authors.forename: Everett
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lohman
authors.forename: Ernie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Jerrold
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petrofsky
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deshpande
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D007845:Laughter / Q000502:physiology*; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone