ACHOO - What is photic sneeze reflex?
Simply put is sneezing as the result of being exposed to a bright light. A genetic quirk that is still unexplained by science, even though it has intrigued some of history's greatest minds.
Most experts now agree that crossed wires in the brain are probably responsible for the photic sneeze reflex.
A sneeze is usually triggered by an irritation in the nose, which is sensed by the trigeminal nerve, a cranial nerve responsible for facial sensation and motor control. This nerve is in close proximity to the optic nerve, which senses, for example, a sudden flood of light entering the retina. As the optic nerve fires to signal the brain to constrict the pupils, the theory goes, some of the electrical signal is sensed by the trigeminal nerve and mistaken by the brain as an irritant in the nose. Hence, a sneeze.
References:
http://scienceline.org/2009/11/why-do-some-people-sneeze-when-they-look-at-the-sun/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/looking-at-the-sun-can-trigger-a-sneeze/
#neuroscience #photicsneezereflex
I have that crossed wire, so often sneeze while driving while sun is low in the morning or evening
ReplyDeleteHappen to me, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's happened to me all the time, but i never thought that is an explanation for this! The only thought was to an allergen or something like this... Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I experience this, a CME erupts from the Sun's surface. Maybe I should stay indoors for the safety of the planet? :)
ReplyDeleteMy mother remembers: whenever I would bring him out to the sunshine, he would sneeze... :) According to this goo.gl/HQZu0g study, photic sneeze reflex is associated with rs10427255, near ZEB2, and rs11856995, near NR2F2.
ReplyDeleteThis happens to me, when I come out from poorly-lit environment to strongly lit. It's sometimes enough to look at a lamp :)