Abstract: Laughter and humour are part of one’s life. Yet they have such vast dimensions, contexts, and connotations that deeper studies are needed. Despite decades of systematic analyses, several areas do not provide adequate explanation. In this oration, I propose to provide very brief ideas about what is humour? What is laughter? What are the neural pathways which underlie a joke and its result? What parts of the human brain guide these faculties? Is there a laughter regulating center? If so, how come the pathway takes an extremely short time between the stimulus –the joke, and the result – the laughter? Many of us know that humour is beneficial to health. In fact, it is so in some illnesses too. These benefits can be somatic, emotional or in the form of improved humoral immunity. Reduction of stress hormones such as cortisol are noted. At the societal level, humour aids bonding among groups, and eases tension. As a physician I can vouch for this as a fact after 4 decades of bedside rounds in the hospital. We shall look at the many varieties of humour expression. Books, stand-up comedies, plays, television and humour magazines all have their own role. It is heartening to know that there are an estimated “Laughing Clubs" --- about 20,000, all over 120 countries. In these troubled times, the ability to have a healthy sense of humour is an invaluable asset.
About the speaker: Dr Om Prakash did his M.B.B.S.at Bangalore Medical college in 1964 and M. D. in General Medicine at A I I M S, Delhi in 1970. He received his Fellowship in Respiratory Diseases at St Vincent’s Hospital, Worcester, Massachusetts, under Dr Earle Weiss 1972 -1974. He got Diplomate of American Board in Internal Medicine in 1974 and received Fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at the National Jewish Hospital, Denver, Colorado 1974-1975. After this he was Asst Prof in Medicine at St John’s Medical College till 1980. He was a Visiting Consultant in Medicine and chest diseases until 2013 and Head of Dept of Medicine and NBE Program guide at St Martha’s Hospital.
At Indian Institute of Science, 1977 onwards, for sixteen years he was involved in collaborative research with Dr P V Subba Rao PhD, in the areas clinical and immunological studies on Parthenium hysterophorus. A study of Occupational Asthma in Sericulture was performed, with clinical and serological evaluation. Collaborative work with Dr Anand Inbanathan of the I S E C and published as Sericulture Industry in India: An Overview. (Working Paper 197). He is the author of a book on and on Asthma, both in Kannada for lay public. He is Associated with Kannada Humour Monthly, Aparanji since its inception 39 years ago.