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PubMedDate not supplied

Transforming a conservative company--one laugh at a time.

You wouldn't think of Brady Corporation as an obvious place in which to find a fun culture. This traditional Midwestern company, a manufacturer of industrial signs and other identification products, didn't even allow employees to have coffee at their desks until 1989. But when Katherine Hudson became CEO in 1994, she and her executive team determined that injecting some fun into the company's serious culture could create positive effects within the organization and contribute to increased performance and sales. In this article, Hudson distills her approach to overhauling Brady's culture into six principles of serious fun: More people than you might think are comfortable having fun at work; used with an awareness of cultural sensitivities, fun and laughter really are well-understood international languages; humor can help companies get through tough times; fun can be embodied in formal programs; spontaneous efforts at humor can also be effective; and encouraging fun should begin at the top. She richly illustrates each principle with examples. At Brady, getting people to loosen up and enjoy themselves has fostered a company esprit de corps and greater team camaraderie. It has started conversations that have sparked innovation, helped to memorably convey corporate messages to employees, and increased productivity by reducing stress, among other benefits. And the company has doubled its sales and almost tripled its net income and market capitalization over the past seven years. Brady's experience suggests that promoting fun within the workplace can lead not only to a robust corporate culture but also to improved business performance.

Commerce↗
PubMed2002

Neural substrates of human facial expression of pleasant emotion induced by comic films: a PET Study.

Laughter or smile is one of the emotional expressions of pleasantness with characteristic contraction of the facial muscles, of which the neural substrate remains to be explored. This currently described study is the first to investigate the generation of human facial expression of pleasant emotion using positron emission tomography and H(2)(15)O. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) during laughter/smile induced by visual comics and the magnitude of laughter/smile indicated significant correlation in the bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA) and left putamen (P < 0.05, corrected), but no correlation in the primary motor area (M1). In the voluntary facial movement, significant correlation between rCBF and the magnitude of EMG was found in the face area of bilateral M1 and the SMA (P < 0.001, uncorrected). Laughter/smile, as opposed to voluntary movement, activated the visual association areas, left anterior temporal cortex, left uncus, and orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortices (P < 0.05, corrected), whereas voluntary facial movement generated by mimicking a laughing/smiling face activated the face area of the left M1 and bilateral SMA, compared with laughter/smile (P < 0.05, corrected). We demonstrated distinct neural substrates of emotional and volitional facial expression and defined cognitive and experiential processes of a pleasant emotion, laughter/smile.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[A case of frontal lobe epilepsy presenting with gelastic seizures].

We described a 9-year-old boy with frontal lobe epilepsy presenting with gelastic seizures. CT-scan showed mild widening of the left sylvian fissure. Abnormal findings in the left frontal operculum were detected by both MRI and SPECT. Attacks mainly consisted of gelastic seizures with comfortable feeling followed by screaming with fear. Administration of anticonvulsants resulted in reducing the frequency and severity of seizures. Finally the patient had brief laughter attacks only. In the present case, the clinical course suggests that the gelastic seizures does not occur by way of the spreading of epileptic discharges to the temporal or hypothalamic region; rather it might occur as a focal symptom of the frontal region.

Brain↗
PubMed1990

Gelastic epilepsy--a case report.

Gelastic epilepsy is an uncommon phenomenon and it is particularly uncommon in adults. This paper describes a case of gelastic epilepsy in a middle-aged woman presented in a psychiatric hospital. A short history of the condition, clinical and electroencephalographic findings in gelastic epilepsy and causes of pathological laughter are discussed.

Epilepsy↗
PubMed1986

[Happy puppet or Angelman's syndrome. Review apropos of 3 cases].

Angelman's or "happy puppet" syndrome is a disorder of unknown etiology characterized by severe or profound mental retardation with deepest involvement of language, frequent smile and laughter and a happy appearance of every patient. Constant somatic features are microcephaly with braquicephaly, wide face, prognathism, occipital flattening and protruding tongue. Their movements are incoordinated and ataxic, giving them a puppet-like aspect. Electroencephalographic abnormalities are constant and severe but they usually have sporadic epileptic seizures. Only about fifty cases have been reported, affecting both sexes and belonging to different continents and reaces, but authors think the disorder is more frequent. First three patients of Spanish literature are presented and findings of "happy puppet" syndrome are commented.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Humour in the doctor's office.

Medical practice is a serious business, but Dr. Mel Borins thinks physicians sometimes take themselves and their profession too seriously and overlook the therapeutic value of joy and laughter. He thinks patients should be encouraged to laugh, and physicians should not overlook the benefits of humour in their personal lives.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

The best medicine. Interview by Jim Montague.

Laughter can be crucial to patient care, but physician and clown Patch Adams, M.D., sees nothing funny about the greed he finds in the nation's health care system and in current reform plans. Adams has spent almost 25 years infusing practitioners with a sense of humor. This philosophy extends into his work as founder of the not-for-profit Gesundheit Institute, which is trying to build an "ultimate fantasy" hospital on 310 acres in rural West Virginia. So far, he's raised $1.1 million, built one of three main buildings, and broken ground on a second. However, millions of dollars still need to be raised. Adams sees the very notion of his dream hospital as a necessary pie in the face of the traditional health care system. Besides speaking and performing, Adams takes groups of clowns to Russia, where they perform in hospitals, orphanages, prisons and on the street. Adams has co-authored a book about his philosophies, Gesundheit, and sold the rights to a Hollywood studio. He spoke recently with staff editor Jim Montague.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

In pursuit of happiness.

1. Modern studies of happiness have found that happy people are energetic, decisive, creative, social, trusting, loving, and responsive. 2. Elements that can affect happiness include a philosophical view of life, use of laughter and humor, ability to relate to others, problem-solving skills, meaningful and leisure activities, positive environment, and a well-balanced life-style. 3. Culture, affluence, age, and gender are surprisingly weak links to happiness.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

What's funny about case management?

Humor is an effective tool to prevent and resolve burnout, a common problem associated with the practice of case management. Easily accessed by almost everyone, humor has many physiological and psychological benefits. The conscious use of humor in an organization requires a commitment at all levels in order for the organization to benefit as a whole. Offering formal seminars, using humor in company newsletters, and encouraging cartoon or joke sharing impacts on the physical and mental health of the employees. Techniques for bringing laughter to the workplace are outlined, as well as examples from the practice of case management.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1976

[Happy-puppet syndrome].

Six cases of this syndrome previously reported in Great Britain and in Canada are reviewed in relation to a personal case, a 17-month-old boy. The syndrome's main features are microbrachycephaly and peculiar face, mental deficiency with euphoria and laughter, ataxia and epilepsy consisting in infantile spasms and grand-mal attacks. Though its precise nature and cause still remain unknown, the syndrome seems neither familial nor progressive.

Electroencephalography↗
PubMed1991

Selective paralysis of voluntary but not limbically influenced automatic respiration.

We describe a patient in whom a discrete infarction of the ventral basis pontis caused a complete loss of voluntary respiration, while automatic respiration remained intact. Respiratory excursions, quantified title volumes, and ventilatory response to carbon dioxide were normal, but the patient could not volitionally modify any respiratory parameters. Emotional stimuli producing laughter, crying, or anxiety appropriately modulated automatic respiration. This case established that pathways subserving limbic modulation of automatic respiration descend in the pontine tegmentum and/or lateral portion of the basis pontis spared by this lesion. Furthermore, descending limbic influences on automatic respiration are anatomically and functionally independent of the voluntary respiratory system.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Complications of gamma knife surgery for Parkinson disease.

BACKGROUND: Many medical centers throughout the world offer radiosurgery with the gamma knife (GK) for pallidotomy and thalamotomy as a safe and effective alternative to radiofrequency ablative surgery and deep brain stimulation for Parkinson disease (PD). The reported incidence of significant complications varies considerably, and the long-term complication rate remains unknown. DESIGN: We describe 8 patients seen during an 8-month period referred for complications of GK surgery for PD. RESULTS: Of the 8 patients, 1 died as a result of complications, including dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia. Other complications included hemiplegia, homonymous visual field deficit, hand weakness, dysarthria, hypophonia, aphasia, arm and face numbness, and pseudobulbar laughter. In all patients, lesions were significantly off target. CONCLUSIONS: The 8 patients with PD seen in referral at our center for complications of GK surgery highlight a spectrum of potential problems associated with this procedure. These include lesion accuracy and size and the delayed development of neurological complications secondary to radiation necrosis. Gamma knife surgery may have a higher complication rate than has been previously appreciated due to delayed onset and underreporting. We believe that the risk-benefit ratio of the GK will require further scrutiny when considering pallidotomy or thalamotomy in patients with PD. Physicians using this technique should carefully follow up patients postoperatively for delayed complications, and fully inform patients of these potential risks.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Epilepsy in patients with angelman syndrome caused by deletion of the chromosome 15q11-13.

BACKGROUND: Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by severe mental retardation, speech disorder, stereotyped jerky movements, and a peculiar behavioral profile, with a happy disposition and outbursts of laughter. Most patients with AS present with epilepsy and suggestive electroencephalographic patterns, which may be used as diagnostic criteria. OBJECTIVE: To study epilepsy and response to treatment in a series of patients with AS determined by deletion. DESIGN: Parent and caregiver interview and medical record review. SETTING: Epilepsy Center at the University of São Paulo. PATIENTS: Nineteen patients with AS determined by deletion of chromosome 15q11-13. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Epilepsy severity, epilepsy evolution, and response to antiepileptic drug treatment. RESULTS: All patients with AS in this group had generalized epilepsy, and 10 (53%) also had partial epilepsy. Main seizure types were atypical absences and myoclonic and tonic-clonic seizures. Mean age at onset was 1 year 1 month. Epilepsy aggravated by fever occurred in 10 patients (53%) and status epilepticus in 16 (84%). Eighteen patients (95%) had previous or current history of daily seizures, of which 14 (64%) had disabling seizures. Multiple seizure types were observed in 13 patients (53%). History of refractory epilepsy was reported in 16 patients (84%). Parents reported improvement, characterized by decrease in seizure frequency or seizure control, at the mean age of 5.3 years. Therefore, most of these patients had a period of refractory epilepsy; however, improvement occurred during late childhood and puberty. The best therapeutic response was obtained with valproic acid alone or in association with phenobarbital or clonazepam. Epilepsy was aggravated by carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, and vigabatrin. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AS with deletion have epilepsy with early onset and stereotyped electroclinical profile regarding seizure type, severity, and response to antiepileptic drug treatment. Another feature of AS is the age-related improvement, even in refractory cases, during late childhood and puberty. These characteristics are not specific to this syndrome but, when inserted in the proper clinical context, may anticipate diagnosis. We believe that AS should be considered a differential diagnosis in developmentally delayed infants with severe, generalized, cryptogenic epilepsy; however, a proper electroclinical delineation of each genetic group is mandatory.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Angelman syndrome in adulthood.

We studied the clinical and EEG-findings in 28 adult patients (aged 20-53 years) with Angelman syndrome (AS). Twenty-three showed a maternal chromosome 15q11-13 deletion; in 5, the diagnosis was based on a combination of typical clinical findings. Compared to the clinical manifestations present in childhood, "coarsening" of facial traits (100%), thoracic scoliosis (71%), and being wheelchair-bound (39%) were found more frequently. Paroxysms of laughter were still observed in adulthood (79%), but less frequently than in childhood. Most adult patients could feed themselves, but needed help with many daily activities. The majority (82%) had epileptic seizures. Abnormal EEG-activity consisting of 2-3/s rhythmic triphasic waves of high amplitude with a maximum over the frontal regions, which has been identified in many AS children, was found in 67% of these adult patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Manifestations in institutionalised adults with Angelman syndrome due to deletion.

Undiagnosed institutionalised patients were reviewed in an attempt to identify those with Angelman syndrome (AS). The aim was to test these patients for deletion of chromosome 15(q11-13) and to describe the adult phenotype. The selection criteria included severe intellectual disability, ataxic or hypermotoric limb movements, lack of speech, a "happy" demeanour, epilepsy, and facial appearance consistent with the diagnosis. Patients were examined, medical records perused, and patients' doctors contacted as required. Genetic tests performed included routine cytogenetics, DNA methylation analysis (with probe PW71B), and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (with probes D15S10, GABRbeta3, or SNRPN). A deletion in the AS region was detected in 11 patients (9 males and 2 females) of 22 tested. The mean age at last review (March 1996) was 31.5 years (range 24 to 36 years). Clinical assessment documented findings of large mouth and jaw with deep set eyes, and microcephaly in nine patients (two having a large head size for height). No patient was hypopigmented; 1/11 patients was fair. Outbursts of laughter occurred in all patients but infrequently in 7/11 (64%) and a constant happy demeanour was present in 5/11 (46%). All had epilepsy, with improvement in 5/11 (46%), no change in 4 (36%), and deterioration in 2 (18%). The EEG was abnormal in 10/10 patients. Ocular abnormalities were reported in 3/8 patients (37.5%) and 4/11 (36%) had developed kyphosis. Two had never walked. All nine who walked were ataxic with an awkward, clumsy, heavy, and/or lilting gait. No patient had a single word of speech but one patient could use sign language for two needs (food and drink). Our data support the concept that AS resulting from deletion is a severe neurological syndrome in adulthood. The diagnosis in adults may not be straightforward as some manifestations change with age. Kyphosis and keratoconus are two problems of older patients.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1997

A qualitative study of breast cancer self-help groups.

This study reports on the experience of women in four community breast cancer self-help groups in Ontario, Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 women, asking them about benefits and limitations of their group involvement, and about their perspectives on group processes and structures. Overall, participants reported their group involvement to be extremely helpful for navigating the short and long-term impact of breast cancer. Emotional support benefits included connecting with other breast cancer survivors, feeling understood and sharing experiences, providing hope, and sharing healing laughter. Informational and practical support benefits included sharing of important information and learning how to get what you want. Even where there were concerns about limitations or tensions of group experience, these occurred against a backdrop of appreciation and commitment. From the discussion of group processes and structures, a number of issues were identified as problematic. Most notable were how to deal with deaths of group members and how to balance the group's primary purpose of providing mutual support with secondary goals of dealing with group business and engaging in meaningful advocacy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1983

Humorous stimuli and depression: an examination of Beck's premise.

Investigated the premise that an ancillary characteristic of depression is a diminished humor response (N = 40). A 2 X 2 X 2 (High-Low Beck Depression Inventory Scores X Aggressive-Non-aggressive Cartoon X Self-Other Humor Target) design was used. Results indicated that there were no differences between those with higher and lower scores on the Beck in ratings of the cartoons in terms of enjoyment, funniness, or laughter. Additional analyses that used the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist revealed relationships between the affects of anxiety, hostility, and depression, and cartoon type and target. The results raise questions, too, as to the relationship of responses to humorous stimuli and depression.

Adolescent↗