Yawning and Cortisol as a Potential Biomarker for Early Detection of Multiple Sclerosis
Cortisol is essential to the regulation of the immune
system and yawning is a pathological symptom of multiple sclerosis
(MS). Electromyography activity (EMG) in the jaw muscles typically
rises when the muscles are moved and with yawning is highly
correlated with cortisol levels in healthy people. Saliva samples from
59 participants were collected at the start and after yawning, or at the
end of the presentation of yawning-provoking stimuli, in the absence
of a yawn, together with EMG data and questionnaire data: Hospital
Anxiety and Depression Scale, Yawning Susceptibility Scale,
General Health Questionnaire, demographic, health details. Exclusion
criteria: chronic fatigue, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart condition, high
blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy, multiple sclerosis,
stroke. Significant differences were found between the saliva cortisol
samples for the yawners, t (23) = -4.263, p = 0.000, as compared with
the non-yawners between rest and post-stimuli, which was nonsignificant.
Significant evidence was found to support the Thompson
Cortisol Hypothesis suggesting that rises in cortisol levels are
associated with yawning. Further research is exploring the use of
cortisol as an early diagnostic tool for MS. Ethics approval granted
and professional code of conduct, confidentiality, and safety issues
are approved therein.
[1] M. J. Vigier (translated by), “Les aphorisms d’Hippocrate,” J-A. Lyon, Huguetan, 1620.
[2] A. C. Gallup, M. L. Miller, and A. B. Clark, “The direction and range of ambient temperature influences yawning in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulates),” Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2010, vol. 124, pp. 133-138.
[3] T. Postert, D. Pöhlau, S. Meves, I. Nastos, and H. Przuntek, “Pathological yawning as a symptom of multiple sclerosis,” Journal of Neurology, 1996, vol. 243, no. 3, pp. 300-301.
[4] A. C. Gallup, and G. G. Jr. Gallup, “Yawning and thermoregulation,” Physiology and Behavior, 2008, vol. 95, pp. 10-16.
[5] H. Krestel, C. Weisstanner, C. Hess, C. Bassetti, A. Nirkko, and R. Wiest, “Insular and caudate lesions release abnormal yawning in stroke patients,” Brain Structure & Function, 2013, doi: 10.1007/s00429-013-0684-6.
[6] S. B. N. Thompson, “Born to yawn? Cortisol linked to yawning: a new hypothesis,” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 77, pp. 861-862, 2011.
[7] S. B. N. Thompson, “The dawn of the yawn: is yawning a warning? Linking neurological disorders,” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 75, pp. 630-633, 2010, doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2010.08.002.
[8] F. Giganti, M. J. Hayes, G. Cioni, and P. Salzarulo, “Yawning frequency and distribution in preterm and near term infants assessed throughout 24-h recordings,” Infant Behavior & Development, vol. 30, pp. 641-647, 2007.
[9] S. B. N. Thompson, and P. Bishop, “Born to yawn? Understanding yawning as a warning of the rise in cortisol levels: randomized trial,” Interactive Journal of Medical Research, vol. 1, no. 5, pp. 1-9, 2012, doi: 10.2196/ijmr.2241.
[10] S. B. N. Thompson, “Is yawning a warning, neurologically?” Neurology, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1-7, 2011, doi: WMC001610.
[11] O. Walusinski, “Historical perspectives,” in the mystery of yawning in physiology and disease, J. Bogousslavsky, Eds.Basel: Karger, 2010, pp. 1-21.
[12] R. Provine, “Curious behavior: yawning, laughing, hiccupping and beyond,” Belknap, New York, 2012, pp. 31-32.
[13] S. B. N. Thompson, C. Frankham, and P. Bishop, “The art of capturing a yawn using the science of nerve impulses and cortisol levels in a randomized controlled trial. Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis as a potential predictor of neurological impairment,” International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 2014, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 529-543, doi: http://www.universitypublications.net/ijas/0703/pdf/V4Z77.pdf.
[14] R. P. Snaith, and A. S. Zigmond, “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale,” Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1994, vol. 67, pp. 361-370.
[15] D. Goldberg, “Use of the General Health Questionnaire in clinical work,” British Med Journal, 1986, vol. 293, pp. 1188-1189.
[16] M. H. Banks, “Validation of the General Health Questionnaire in a young community sample,” Psychological Medicine, 1983, vol.13, pp. 349-353.
[17] S. B. N. Thompson, “Yawning, fatigue and cortisol: expanding the Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis,” Medical Hypotheses, 2014, vol. 83, no. 4, pp. 494-496, doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.08.009.
[18] T. Whipple, “Baby exposes yawning gap,” Times, 2012, Nov 22, p. 19.
[19] O. Walusinki, “How yawning switches the default-mode network to the attentional network by activating the cerebrospinal fluid flow,” Clinical Anatomy, 2014, vol. 27, pp. 201-209.
[20] S. B. N. Thompson, and S. Richer, “How yawning and cortisol regulates the attentional network,” Journal of Neuroscience & Rehabilitation, 2015, in press.
[1] M. J. Vigier (translated by), “Les aphorisms d’Hippocrate,” J-A. Lyon, Huguetan, 1620.
[2] A. C. Gallup, M. L. Miller, and A. B. Clark, “The direction and range of ambient temperature influences yawning in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulates),” Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2010, vol. 124, pp. 133-138.
[3] T. Postert, D. Pöhlau, S. Meves, I. Nastos, and H. Przuntek, “Pathological yawning as a symptom of multiple sclerosis,” Journal of Neurology, 1996, vol. 243, no. 3, pp. 300-301.
[4] A. C. Gallup, and G. G. Jr. Gallup, “Yawning and thermoregulation,” Physiology and Behavior, 2008, vol. 95, pp. 10-16.
[5] H. Krestel, C. Weisstanner, C. Hess, C. Bassetti, A. Nirkko, and R. Wiest, “Insular and caudate lesions release abnormal yawning in stroke patients,” Brain Structure & Function, 2013, doi: 10.1007/s00429-013-0684-6.
[6] S. B. N. Thompson, “Born to yawn? Cortisol linked to yawning: a new hypothesis,” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 77, pp. 861-862, 2011.
[7] S. B. N. Thompson, “The dawn of the yawn: is yawning a warning? Linking neurological disorders,” Medical Hypotheses, vol. 75, pp. 630-633, 2010, doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2010.08.002.
[8] F. Giganti, M. J. Hayes, G. Cioni, and P. Salzarulo, “Yawning frequency and distribution in preterm and near term infants assessed throughout 24-h recordings,” Infant Behavior & Development, vol. 30, pp. 641-647, 2007.
[9] S. B. N. Thompson, and P. Bishop, “Born to yawn? Understanding yawning as a warning of the rise in cortisol levels: randomized trial,” Interactive Journal of Medical Research, vol. 1, no. 5, pp. 1-9, 2012, doi: 10.2196/ijmr.2241.
[10] S. B. N. Thompson, “Is yawning a warning, neurologically?” Neurology, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1-7, 2011, doi: WMC001610.
[11] O. Walusinski, “Historical perspectives,” in the mystery of yawning in physiology and disease, J. Bogousslavsky, Eds.Basel: Karger, 2010, pp. 1-21.
[12] R. Provine, “Curious behavior: yawning, laughing, hiccupping and beyond,” Belknap, New York, 2012, pp. 31-32.
[13] S. B. N. Thompson, C. Frankham, and P. Bishop, “The art of capturing a yawn using the science of nerve impulses and cortisol levels in a randomized controlled trial. Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis as a potential predictor of neurological impairment,” International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 2014, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 529-543, doi: http://www.universitypublications.net/ijas/0703/pdf/V4Z77.pdf.
[14] R. P. Snaith, and A. S. Zigmond, “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale,” Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1994, vol. 67, pp. 361-370.
[15] D. Goldberg, “Use of the General Health Questionnaire in clinical work,” British Med Journal, 1986, vol. 293, pp. 1188-1189.
[16] M. H. Banks, “Validation of the General Health Questionnaire in a young community sample,” Psychological Medicine, 1983, vol.13, pp. 349-353.
[17] S. B. N. Thompson, “Yawning, fatigue and cortisol: expanding the Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis,” Medical Hypotheses, 2014, vol. 83, no. 4, pp. 494-496, doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.08.009.
[18] T. Whipple, “Baby exposes yawning gap,” Times, 2012, Nov 22, p. 19.
[19] O. Walusinki, “How yawning switches the default-mode network to the attentional network by activating the cerebrospinal fluid flow,” Clinical Anatomy, 2014, vol. 27, pp. 201-209.
[20] S. B. N. Thompson, and S. Richer, “How yawning and cortisol regulates the attentional network,” Journal of Neuroscience & Rehabilitation, 2015, in press.
@article{"International Journal of Medical, Medicine and Health Sciences:69818", author = "Simon B. N. Thompson", title = "Yawning and Cortisol as a Potential Biomarker for Early Detection of Multiple Sclerosis", abstract = "Cortisol is essential to the regulation of the immune
system and yawning is a pathological symptom of multiple sclerosis
(MS). Electromyography activity (EMG) in the jaw muscles typically
rises when the muscles are moved and with yawning is highly
correlated with cortisol levels in healthy people. Saliva samples from
59 participants were collected at the start and after yawning, or at the
end of the presentation of yawning-provoking stimuli, in the absence
of a yawn, together with EMG data and questionnaire data: Hospital
Anxiety and Depression Scale, Yawning Susceptibility Scale,
General Health Questionnaire, demographic, health details. Exclusion
criteria: chronic fatigue, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart condition, high
blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy, multiple sclerosis,
stroke. Significant differences were found between the saliva cortisol
samples for the yawners, t (23) = -4.263, p = 0.000, as compared with
the non-yawners between rest and post-stimuli, which was nonsignificant.
Significant evidence was found to support the Thompson
Cortisol Hypothesis suggesting that rises in cortisol levels are
associated with yawning. Further research is exploring the use of
cortisol as an early diagnostic tool for MS. Ethics approval granted
and professional code of conduct, confidentiality, and safety issues
are approved therein.", keywords = "Cortisol, Multiple Sclerosis, Yawning, Thompson’s
Cortisol Hypothesis.", volume = "9", number = "5", pages = "392-5", }