Yawning -- why is it so contagious and why should it matter?

(University of Nottingham) Feeling tired? Even if we aren't tired, why do we yawn if someone else does? Experts at the University of Nottingham have published research that suggests the human propensity for contagious yawning is triggered automatically by primitive reflexes in the primary motor cortex -- an area of the brain responsible for motor function. Their study is another stage in their research into the underlying biology of neuropsychiatric disorders and their search for new methods of treatment.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news