生物谷報道：為什么我們討厭某物會緊皺鼻子,、遇到危險會大睜雙眼？加拿大科學(xué)家最新研究表明,，這樣做可能有助于我們更好地應(yīng)對生存風(fēng)險,。相關(guān)論文6月15日在線發(fā)表于《自然—神經(jīng)學(xué)》（Nature Neuroscience）上。
1872年,，達(dá)爾文在《人和動物的情緒表達(dá)》一書中首先提出了面部表情的生存優(yōu)勢概念,。他觀察了不同文化中人以及一些動物的表情，并將吃驚時大睜雙眼作為例子,。達(dá)爾文推測這些表情具有一定的生物學(xué)功能，比如更好地看清敵人,。
在最新的研究中,，加拿大多倫多大學(xué)的認(rèn)知神經(jīng)學(xué)家Adam Anderson和同事應(yīng)用了新的技術(shù)來解決這一世紀(jì)謎題。研究人員用電腦合成了經(jīng)典的恐懼表情——眉毛上揚,、瞠目,、鼻孔大張，同時還模擬了厭惡的表情 ——皺眉,、翹嘴唇,、瞇眼,，就如聞到臭雞蛋時那樣。接下來研究人員讓志愿者在進(jìn)行視覺和呼吸測試時模仿這些表情,。
結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn),，面部表情并不僅僅只是“表情”?？謶值谋砬槟芨纳浦車曈X（peripheral vision）,、加速眼睛的運動及推進(jìn)空氣流動，潛在地能使人更快地感覺到危險并作出反應(yīng),；而厭惡的表情具有相反的效果,，它會限制視覺、減少空氣流動,，為了防止可能有害的東西傷害眼睛或肺,。
Anderson表示，這一發(fā)現(xiàn)“相當(dāng)激進(jìn)”,，因為大多數(shù)對表情的研究都集中在它們的通訊功能上,，而不是生理學(xué)或進(jìn)化的基礎(chǔ)。美國紐約大學(xué)的神經(jīng)學(xué)家Elizabeth Phelps說：“沒人曾用科學(xué)的方式展現(xiàn)這一切,。”美國哥倫比亞大學(xué)的認(rèn)知神經(jīng)學(xué)家Kevin Ochsner說：“很明顯地,，這屬于最好的研究，之前從沒有人證明過,。”（生物谷www.bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Nature Neuroscience,，doi:10.1038/nn.2138，Joshua M Susskind,，Adam K Anderson
Expressing fear enhances sensory acquisition
Joshua M Susskind1, Daniel H Lee1, Andrée Cusi1, Roman Feiman1, Wojtek Grabski1 & Adam K Anderson1,2
Abstract
It has been proposed that facial expression production originates in sensory regulation. Here we demonstrate that facial expressions of fear are configured to enhance sensory acquisition. A statistical model of expression appearance revealed that fear and disgust expressions have opposite shape and surface reflectance features. We hypothesized that this reflects a fundamental antagonism serving to augment versus diminish sensory exposure. In keeping with this hypothesis, when subjects posed expressions of fear, they had a subjectively larger visual field, faster eye movements during target localization and an increase in nasal volume and air velocity during inspiration. The opposite pattern was found for disgust. Fear may therefore work to enhance perception, whereas disgust dampens it. These convergent results provide support for the Darwinian hypothesis that facial expressions are not arbitrary configurations for social communication, but rather, expressions may have originated in altering the sensory interface with the physical world.
Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G3, Canada.
Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Ontario M6A 2E1, Canada.
