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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Precision Induction and Distinction of Coughing and Sneezing Reflexes in Mice

Precision Induction and Distinction of Coughing and Sneezing Reflexes in Mice

Published on: October 3, 2025

On the sneeze-reflex and its control.

Dag Hydén¹, Stig Arlinger

¹Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, SE-58185 Linköping, Sweden. dag.hyden@lio.se

|October 25, 2007

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Electrical stimulation can induce a sneeze reflex in humans, specifically in the anterior nose. This reflex is reproducible and can be blocked by local anesthetics, suggesting potential applications for reducing viral spread.

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Area of Science:

Neurology
Otolaryngology
Physiology

Background:

Previous experiments demonstrated that electrical stimulation could induce sneezing in cats.
The sneeze reflex is a protective mechanism, but its induction and control in humans via electrical means remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if electrical stimulation can induce a reproducible sneeze reflex in humans.
To determine if the electrically induced sneeze reflex can be pharmacologically abolished.
To identify the specific nasal area involved in the electrically induced sneeze reflex.

Main Methods:

Three healthy male subjects underwent intranasal electrical stimulation using a pulse generator.
Stimulation was applied to various parts of the nasal cavity with currents ranging from 2-11 mA.
Local anesthetics were administered to one subject to assess pharmacological blockade of the reflex.

Main Results:

Electrical stimulation successfully induced and reproduced sneezing in the anterior portion of the nose.
The affected area corresponded to the distribution of the anterior ethmoidal nerve.
Local anesthesia abolished the sneeze reflex in the tested subject.

Conclusions:

The sneeze reflex can be reliably induced in humans via electrical stimulation of the anterior ethmoidal nerve.
Pharmacological intervention, such as local anesthetics, can effectively abolish this reflex.
Further research into sneeze-inhibiting substances could lead to strategies for reducing pathogen transmission via nasal sprays.