/oss/taxonomy/term/2529/all en /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-trotter-public-science-symposium/laughter-best-medicine <p>“Laughter is the best medicine!” That’s an old adage, maybe even dating back to the biblical era. The book of Proverbs in the Old Testament proposes that “a  merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” An intriguing concept! Is there any science behind it? It seems there is. The body and the mind are connected. And that is just what we are going to explore in this year’s “Trottier Public Science Symposium” with speakers Drs. Marla Shapiro, Amir Raz and Patch Adams. Let’s get you started with a little laughter right here.</p> Thu, 19 Oct 2017 15:39:43 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 5925 at /oss /oss/article/news/gelotophobia <p>Gelotophobia can best be defined as the “potentially debilitating fear of being laughed at.” A person suffering from gelotophobia may hear a stranger’s laugh and believe it is aimed at him or her. In extreme cases the response may be palpitations, breaking out in a sweat, or even violence. Some school shootings have apparently been triggered by classmates having made fun of the shooter. Gelotophobes have a fear of being ridiculed and unfortunately often cannot distinguish playful teasing from ridicule.</p> Tue, 12 Aug 2014 01:40:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2181 at /oss