Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: wannabe on 11/11/2008 12:30:47

Title: Does yawning relate to memory?
Post by: wannabe on 11/11/2008 12:30:47
Not that I am bored with this forum....HA!
Yawning has as many explanations as there are people who have given it some thought.
None seem coming close enough to make complete sense although checking in Wikipedia I find that the ones making most sense refer the the various alterations brought about by varying levels of neurotransmitters.
When observing yawning in my dogs it strikes me over and again that it occurs most frequently, if not exclusively when they engage in processing my commands, language based direction, searching for interpretation of meaning of events and all of that where their memories are the most intensely engaged. Anyone having any correlates to similar observations?

Mod edit - subject formatted as a question - please do this to help keep the forum tidy and easy to navigate - thanks!
Title: Does yawning relate to memory?
Post by: RD on 11/11/2008 16:42:19
According to this source  (http://www.scribd.com/doc/2634472/Body-language) yawing can be a submissive gesture.
So a possible interpretation of your observation is that when your dogs are submitting to your commands,
(rather than "processing" them), they demonstrate their submission by yawning.
They may also be performing other submissive gestures, e.g. bowing head, looking down.
Title: Does yawning relate to memory?
Post by: wannabe on 11/11/2008 16:53:11
Thanks RD, does seem to fit into neuro-chemical category, where I think it belongs, moreso than in the physiology/respiratory area.
Title: Does yawning relate to memory?
Post by: that mad man on 11/11/2008 18:41:09
Personally I don't think so having seen my snakes yawn.

They do this often and not just as a result of eating and re-aligning their jaws. I have noticed that they do this more when the vivarium is too warm so I think it is mainly due to physiology/respiration.


Title: Does yawning relate to memory?
Post by: wannabe on 11/11/2008 18:52:09
As snakes have a brain consisting mostly of what is in higher animals>>dogs, humans<<the limbic system, those behaviours controlled by neurotransmitter states in limbic systems of the higher animals, such as behaviours alluded to in this post, control the entire behaviour spectrum at the level of snakes, for they have no cerebellum, no cortex/neocortex etc. So their entire physiology falls within theose parameters of what is being controlled. Moving up the development complexity ladder, additional structures appear in the brain for controlling movement, temp control etc. Like thalamus for example.