Setup, Punchline, Dopamine! Humor processing explored

For a brief moment, the best-priced performance in London was a comedy show by Western University neuroscientists. No two-drink minimum necessary. Participants in the study had their brains scanned while entertained by various forms of comedy. Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the study by Dr. Margaret Prenger and her colleagues revealed fascinating connections underlying our comprehension and enjoyment of humor. The research casts a spotlight on the unappreciated brain regions of comedy.

The average joke includes two components: the setup and…