A ticklish question

[Burgerberg]

Why are some people ticklish in some places, and others not?

[Deleted]

This sounds like something the channel on YouTube called ''Vsauce'' would cover.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Vsauce

[Keyboard Champion]

Because DNA is a mess?

[Sunseeker]

It's a defense mechanism that fades with age. Initially, we're pretty ticklish all over. For some people it just doesn't go away in places properly. That's why Bob's ticklish on his knee and Jane is ticklish on her back.

[Blueobelisk]

It's purely genetics. You inherit your ticklish areas from your parents. Trust me, I know more than google.

[Burgerberg]

I have an exceptionally ticklish boyfriend, if you stroke his belly or feet etc he'd spazz around in laughter. But when I tickle my sister, there's no reaction at all. Is it a psychological aspect to it (mental will), or is it a physical one (proximity of certain nerve endings)? Or a bit of both?

[Fargus]

It's a defense mechanism that fades with age.

Then how do you explain non-ticklish children and ridiculously ticklish adults? You either have it or you don't.

[schwank05]

Im cursed with being ticklish damn near everywhere. My wife exploits this curse far too often.

[Deleted]

Im cursed with being ticklish damn near everywhere. My wife exploits this curse far too often.

I hear you, touch my ribs and I collapse like a giggling child.

[Sunseeker]

Then how do you explain non-ticklish children and ridiculously ticklish adults? You either have it or you don't.

It's a defense mechanism that has also faded with evolution. So the same reason why there are still redheads: genetics.

Like that whole "falling" feeling people get when they're asleep, it was an old defense mechanism from when primitive humans slept in trees that woke us up if we started to fall out. Some people have it and some don't because genetics.

[Fargus]

It's a defense mechanism that has also faded with evolution. So the same reason why there are still redheads: genetics.

Why would it fade though? We should be just as ticklish as we were, say, a few hundred years ago. If anything, we might even be moreso due to our lifestyles.

As for the genetic link, I very much doubt that. My parents are not ticklish, yet my siblings and I am. I am not sure there's a "gene" for ticklishness, partially because half of being ticklish is in the mind.

[Fargus]

If it's a recessive gene, and both of your parents had 2 pairs, with one being recessive and one being dominant, it could have mixed 3 different ways:

Say 01 (1 being dominant, 0 being recessive)

01, not ticklish
00, ticklish
11, not ticklish

Is there any proof of this? I know of no such study that determines "ticklish" genes. Though were it so, I believe it'd be a dominant gene.

[MonsieuRoberts]

Trust me, I know more than google.

I can confirm this. Blueobelisk is a verified trustworthy source, and I've cited their posts several times in discussion and in papers without any questioning regarding the legitimacy of my source material.

[worprz]

Im cursed with being ticklish damn near everywhere. My wife exploits this curse far too often.

I feel ya lol, I am ticklish pretty much everywhere as well. The worst part is you can barely touch me and I will burst out laughing. I can even tickle myself, which is supposed to be impossible

[Burgerberg]

I feel ya lol, I am ticklish pretty much everywhere as well. The worst part is you can barely touch me and I will burst out laughing. I can even tickle myself, which is supposed to be impossible

It is impossible. Your brain knows in advance.