Abstract
Yawning is a very ubiquitous yet very poorly understood phenomenon. Even though with
advancements in science, the scientific community has been able to decode the mechanisms
and mysteries behind most of the physiological functions of the body, but we still
do not have clear answers to this common activity that all of us experience numerous
times on a daily basis. It is the enigma surrounding yawning that makes it all more
intriguing. A lot of hypotheses and theories have been proposed since the times of
Hippocrates. With more modern neuroimaging methods and bioassays available now, more
meticulous inquiry is being increasingly made to elucidate a rational and scientifically
sound physiological basis of yawning. A comprehensive and exhaustive study of articles
and research work available on the internet on the subject was made through various
search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, etc. This article attempts to provide
in a nutshell the available information and knowledge on the subject and discuss its
plausibility and the future direction of research in this field.
Keywords
yawning - mirror neuron system - arousal
