When you are tickled,
your laughter is the reaction that occurred because that ticklish
feeling sends us into a state of panic. You most likely weren't
expecting that person to sneak up behind you and
tickle your sides, were you? This was probably a defense mechanism
that developed in our cave-men ancestors to detect predators.
When you try to tickle yourself you are in complete control
of the situation, there is no need to get tense and therefore
there is no reaction.
The part of the brain that cancels out stimuli it is expecting
is called the cerebellum. The cauliflower-like
mass can be found at the back, under the brain. The cerebellum
is known to basically be the party planner, it coordinates
movement control in relation to sensory signals received in
other areas of your brain.
It is possible to tickle yourself though!!!
You would have to fool your cerebellum. Studies have shown
that with as little of a 200-millisecond delay between you
moving your hand and the tickling, you would react. However
there is only one way to do this- by remote control.
Science has been able to design a robot that allows people
to tickle themselves. To use the machine you would have to
lie on your back with your eyes closed. The robot, located
near you, would have a piece of soft foam attached to a plastic
rod which you would control by joystick. 操纵杆You would
maneuver the remote control and after a short delay, would
respond. This takes advantage of the delay in the cerebellum.
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sneak up: 悄悄出现,突然接近
cerebellum:
小脑
cauliflower: 花椰菜
joystick:
操纵杆
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