Emily Grossman: Why is Itching Contagious?
[2:28]
Does watching this video make you itch? Dr Emily Grossman explains why the ‘social itch’ might have evolved.
It’s well known that an itch can be contagious – seeing a person scratch can make you want to do the same. But why does this happen? Dr Emily Grossman explains that it might be a mechanism for preventing the spread of parasitic diseases in close-nit social groups.
Social itching is likely prompted by the interplay of various areas of the brain. Mirror neurons – cells in the brain that are active when we do a behavior or watch another person doing it – may be the root cause.
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