Talk:Photic sneeze reflex

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1 Backronym
2 Merge photic reflex into photic sneeze reflex
3 Earliest known written reference
4 Missing References
- 4.1 Another
5 Malfunction...or protective reflex?
6 Proposed merger with Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst Syndrome

[edit] Backronym

Good article, but unless somebody can come up with a mildly authoritative cite, that clever "ADCHOO" backronym has got to go... Jpatokal 09:20, 21 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Actually, it should read ACHOO. See for yourself: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=OMIM&dopt=Detailed&tmpl=dispomimTemplate&list_uids=100820 Delta G 02:28, 22 Jul 2004 (UTC)

"...is a medical condition by which people exposed to bright light involuntarily sneeze" Is it possible to voluntarily sneeze? Benny 17:46, 12 August 2005 (UTC)

So fix it. I can voluntarily sneeze by tickling my nostril with Q-Tips. JFW | T@lk 13:24, 15 August 2005 (UTC)

ACHOO is legit ... added the reference. sallison 23:00, 8 September 2005 (UTC)

I don't know enough about the science bit (hah!) to confidently edit the page, but if that's what 'ACHOO' actually stands for, then surely it's not a backronym? If you take a look at the backronym article, it describes it in detail. I'd say that's an acronym, maybe even an apronym? Backronyms attribute new (and often ironic) meanings to an acronym and often stem from folk etymologies, such as POSH supposedly meaning Port Out Starboard Home. ACHOO might be 'whimsical', but it's still from the initial letters of the recognised phrase, from the looks of the article. Well quite 19:31, 20 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Merge photic reflex into photic sneeze reflex

It has been proposed that the photic reflex page be merged into this page. I agree. The information on that page should just be replaced with a redirect to this page. None of the information currently there needs to be carried over. sallison 07:34, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Earliest known written reference

For the historically curious, I found the Aristotle quote that this article mentions:

Q. Why does the heat of the sun provoke sneezing, and not the heat of the fire?
A. Because the heat  of the sun doth dissolve, but not consume, and therefore the
   vapour dissolved is expelled by sneezing; but the heat of the fire doth dissolve
   and consume, and therefore doth rather hinder sneezing than provoke it.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12699/12699-h/12699-h.htm#BOOK_OF_PROBLEMS_Of_the_Nose I will leave it up to others to decide whether or not that is interesting enough to add to the article. Bob the Hamster 18:11, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

That in itself is just a full quote, which IMHO is not particularly suitable, but it is a great reference. Thanks. JFW | T@lk 23:07, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Missing References

What is the source of this fact?

In addition this sneeze reflex can be brought on by a sudden inhailing of cold air or a strong flavor such as a strong mint gum. This implies an overstimulation of any nerve close to the trigeminal nerve can cause the sneeze reflex.

I don't know about the source, but I will say, I sneeze when I eat a strong mint, but not bright sunlight or sudden cold. --WhiteDragon 18:03, 16 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Another

What is the source of this assertion? It has been suggested that the photic sneeze reflex occurs only after someone has been adapted to the dark for at least five minutes, although this is not certain, and is not uniform amongst people with the photic sneeze reflex Also: always and not uniform are contradictory. rewinn 04:18, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Malfunction...or protective reflex?

Is there evidence that this reflex is truly a malfunction or could it be a protective reflex? The fact that it's found more with caucasians suggests that it could have a protective purpose which could have something to do with snow (especially in spring time and high UV exposure), ambient lighting and dark winters vs bright summers. What I've noticed is that it's almost always only sunlight that triggers the effect and rarely an artificial light source suggesting that its triggered by something in sun light, like UV rays. - G3, 12:54, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

For a protective reflex, what is being protected? Just curious and I "suffer" from the condition firsthand. I likewise almost always sneeze when exposed to a sudden change in natural lighting and likewise rarely sneeze when the light source is artificial. I can also back up the multiple sneezes mention in the article as nearly always my sneezes tend to be triggered for three consecutive times, rarely two and extremely rarely, if at all, one. Though my brother shares the condition, my parents do not.

I believe it's simply that sunlight is much much brighter than any artificial light. In the presence of very bright artificial light, I can sometimes feel a sneeze building, but it usually "gets stuck". I would be willing to throw out the protetion theory based on that experience. It seems to get stronger with a brighter light, and it isn't only sunlight that does it. --BennyD 00:06, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

Ditto. For me, it's not so much artificial vs. natural light, but rather the brightness of the light. -- Superdosh 00:11, 28 July 2006 (UTC)