Danish scientists have identified a special area in the human brain that is responsible for positive reactions to Christmas and other holidays and events, and is also the center for recognizing the emotions of others, according to an article published in the journal BMJ.
Scientist and co-author of the study, Brian Haddock, explains that the researchers' goal was to understand why some people so desperately miss the "Christmas Spirit" from time to time. To test their hypothesis, the researchers decided to conduct an experiment. For this, they monitored the nervous system activity of two dozen volunteers.
The study's authors asked volunteers to look at 84 illustrations: some were Christmas-related, while others were about everyday life. In the next stage of the study, they asked the subjects to share their family's holiday customs.
"People who have a tradition of celebrating Christmas had brains that responded to illustrations with festive images."
Very soon, scientists plan to test whether these centers are involved in human responses to other religious and secular holidays—Hanukkah, Easter, Eid al-Fitr, and the Hindu festival of Diwali. These included scenes with solemn and mundane stories depicting loved ones.
