Effectiveness of humor on short term memory function in elderly subjects

Abstract

With ageing, the damaging effects of stress can impair the ability to learn and sustain memory. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effect of watching a humor video on short term memory in the elderly. Humor and the associated mirthful laughter can reduce stress by decreasing stress hormones, cortisol and catecholamines. Excess cortisol can damage hippocampus neurons leading to impairment of learning and memory. The standardized neuropsychological memory assessment tool, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) was used to assess for 1) learning ability, 2) delayed recall ability, and 3) delayed visual recognition ability. RAVLT was given to 10 elderly individuals (average age 74.0 ± 11.7 years) before and after watching a humor video of their choice for 30 minutes. For learning ability, we conducted 5 trials with average performance scores. Results from the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test showed that humor with resultant mirthful laughter increased the ability to learn, recall, and recognize. Following the watching of the humor video: 1) learning ability improved by 19.4% (p=.003); 2) delayed recall improved by 33.3% (p=.004); 3) and visual recognition increased by 21.4% (p=.006). In conclusion, elderly individuals’ watching a humor video that induces mirthful laughter can enhance: 1) capability to learn, 2) have greater recall, and 3) improve visual recognition in short term memory function.