If so, you're not alone — as many as 1 in 3 people display this reaction. This reflex, called the photic sneeze reflex, has been observed since at least the fourth century B.C., when the ancient ...

View Full Profile. Learn about our Editorial Policies. The paper F. Li et al., “Sneezing reflex is mediated by a peptidergic pathway from nose to brainstem,” Cell, 184:3762–73, 2021. Qin Liu studies ...

The trigeminal nerve is at the heart of the sneeze reflex. But stopping a sneeze once triggered can increase its force and redirect pressure in dangerous ways.

Sounds gross, but sneezing is actually a protective reflex that's designed to keep you healthy. It begins when tiny nerve endings detect something irritating in your nose. It could be bacteria ...

When you sneeze, air is expelled from your lungs at high speed to effectively clear out unwelcome particles. Stifling this reflex by pinching your nose or closing your mouth traps pressurised air ...

The funny thing is that this custom began quite a long time ago. Sneezing is a natural reflex act of the body when there is irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose or throat and can be ...