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A Laboratory Method to Measure Contagious Yawning in Rats
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A Laboratory Method to Measure Contagious Yawning in Rats

Published on: June 14, 2019

Yawning throughout life

F Giganti, P Salzarulo

    Frontiers of Neurology and Neuroscience
    |April 2, 2010
    PubMed

    Insights

    Yawning frequency changes throughout life, decreasing in preterm infants and the elderly, but increasing in school-aged children. This behavior appears to regulate arousal across all life stages.

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Developmental Biology
    • Behavioral Science

    Background:

    • Yawning is an innate behavior observed from fetal development through infancy, childhood, and into old age.
    • Yawning patterns exhibit significant variations across the human lifespan, differing from fetal stages to adulthood and old age.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the developmental trajectory of yawning frequency across the human lifespan.
    • To explore the relationship between yawning and arousal states at different life stages.

    Main Methods:

    • Observational studies tracking yawning frequency in fetuses, preterm infants, children, adults, and the elderly.
    • Correlation analysis of yawning patterns with sleepiness and arousal levels.

    Main Results:

    • Yawning frequency decreases in preterm infants (31-40 weeks postconceptional age) and the elderly, while increasing in school-aged children.
    • Adult yawning frequency correlates with sleepiness, except upon waking. Diurnal variations in yawning are absent in fetuses and preterm infants but present in adults.
    • Yawning is linked to arousal modulation, often preceding motor activation in preterm infants and occurring during sleep transitions in adults.

    Conclusions:

    • Yawning serves as a crucial mechanism for arousal regulation throughout the lifespan, with its frequency and patterns evolving significantly from prenatal development to old age.
    • Understanding the developmental changes in yawning provides insights into neurodevelopmental processes and arousal modulation strategies.

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