Why you can’t tickle yourself

Most people can easily be tickled by others, but it is almost impossible to tickle yourself. The reason is connected to how the brain predicts and processes sensations from your own movements.

When you try to tickle yourself, your brain already knows what is going to happen because it sends the signals that control the movement. As a result, it predicts the sensation in advance and reduces the reaction. This prediction makes the touch feel weaker and removes the surprise needed for tickling, News.Az reports, citing The Hindu.

The brain uses a system that compares expected sensations with real ones. When both match, the brain suppresses the response, so the feeling is not strong enough to trigger laughter or discomfort. This is why self-generated touch does not feel ticklish.

However, when someone else tickles you, the brain cannot fully predict the timing or exact sensation. Because of this unpredictability, the reaction is much stronger, and the ticklish feeling appears.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova