The hanger reflex is a human reflex. When the head is circled with a tight-fitting and stretched clothes hanger, the hanger compresses the frontotemporal region and the head involuntarily rotates toward the side compressed in front. It is not clear what causes this action.[1]
It was first reported by J. E. Christensen, of the Institute of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, in Denmark, on 31 August 1991, in the scientific article "New treatment of spasmodic torticollis", in the medical journal The Lancet, in connection with treatment for spasmodic torticollis.[2]
The phenomenon gained attention on social media in 2020 and again in 2022, becoming known as The Hanger Challenge, with people posting videos of the reflex in action.[3][4]
References
edit- ^ Asahi, T; Sato, M; Kajimoto, H; Koh, M; Kashiwazaki, D; Kuroda, S (2015). "Rate of Hanger Reflex Occurrence: Unexpected Head Rotation on Fronto-temporal Head Compression". Neurologia Medico-chirurgica. 55 (7): 587–91. doi:10.2176/nmc.oa.2014-0324. PMC 4628192. PMID 26119894.
- ^ Christensen, JE (1991). "New treatment of spasmodic torticollis?". Lancet. 338 (573): 573. doi:10.1016/0140-6736(91)91138-K. PMID 1678826. S2CID 29987528.
- ^ "The Hanger Challenge". Know Your Meme. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- ^ "What is the 'Hanger Reflex'? Bizarre New TikTok Trend Explained". 24 May 2022.
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