Yawning in Diseases

Abstract

Yawning is a physiological behavior, an emotional stereotypy that indicates the homeostatic process of the mechanisms regulating rhythms, such as sleeping/waking, hunger/satiety or mating/relaxation, generated by the diencephalon. As with all physiological behaviors, its deregulation reveals disorders. In daily practice, yawning as a symptom is generally neglected. That is why we propose a wide overview of yawning in diseases, its consequences and significance.

Central administration of oxytocin differentially increases yawning, penile erections and scratching in high- (HY) and low-yawning (LY) sublines of Sprague–Dawley rats

“…In fact, dopaminergic and oxytocin pathways play a key role in motivation and reward, as well as goal-directed behaviors such as yawning as a social behavior related to empathy. Patients affected with schizophrenia or autism show a significant diminution in yawning (Walusinski, 2009) and functional resonance imaging studies have shown that contagious yawning stimuli activate the para hippocampal gyrus, a part of the limbic system that includes the amygdala and hippocampus (Schürmann et al, 2005). Furthermore, yawning behavior is related to the operation of the limbic system in close association with oxytocin in the PVN in the hypothalamus to mediate positive rewarding mechanisms (Melis and Argiolas, 2011).…”

Is yawning a tool for wakefulness or for sleep?

“…Certain conditions are associated with the disappearance of yawning, such as Parkinson's disease, which likely relates to the decline of the dopaminergic neurons of the PVN of the hypothalamus [44]. Since dopaminergic neurons are necessary for yawning, the presence or absence of yawning in patients with Parkinson's disease could provide insight into that patient's neuronal population, i.e., its current level of functionality.…”

“…Yawning has been observed before emesis in motion sickness [45], at the onset of hypoglycemia in diabetics on insulin therapy [44], and with such diverse disorders as dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome [46], migraine [47][48][49][50], coma [51,52], and depression [53]. In the case of depression, the more severe the condition, the more frequently the patient yawned.When patients take SSRIs or other agents that are labeled that they may cause yawning, the yawn may be incorrectly interpreted as a symptom of fatigue [44,[54][55][56].…”

“…In the case of depression, the more severe the condition, the more frequently the patient yawned.When patients take SSRIs or other agents that are labeled that they may cause yawning, the yawn may be incorrectly interpreted as a symptom of fatigue [44,[54][55][56]. Most schizophrenic patients under medical supervision take neuroleptics, which inhibit yawning [57].…”

Pathological yawning as an ictal seizure manifestation in the elderly

“…There is agreement that the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, the locus coeruleus and reticular activating system are primarily involved with yawning control 4 5. The PVN, which is the point of integration between central and peripheral autonomic systems and has connections to the hippocampus, pons, medulla and frontal lobe, seems to be the main control centre.…”