The Coat Hanger Reflex: Fact Or Fiction?

The hanger reflex is a phenomenon that occurs when a wire coat hanger is placed on someone's head, causing their head to turn involuntarily. This trend went viral on TikTok in 2020 and again in 2022, with people posting videos of themselves trying out the challenge. While some were sceptical, the hanger reflex does appear to be real. A 2015 Japanese study of 120 adults found that 95.8% of participants experienced the hanger reflex, with 85.4% of heads turning in the direction of the compressed side. The study speculated that the phenomenon could be used to treat patients with cervical dystonia, a condition causing involuntary neck contractions.

The hanger reflex was first reported by J. E. Christensen in 1991

The hanger reflex was first reported by J. E. Christensen, of the Institute of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, on 31 August 1991. Christensen published his findings in a scientific article titled "New treatment of spasmodic torticollis" in the medical journal The Lancet. The article described a phenomenon in which individuals wearing a coat hanger on their head would involuntarily rotate their heads away from the hanger's hook.

Christensen's article was based on a previous study he conducted in 1991, which found that wearing a square cardboard box on the head caused the head to rotate, resulting in symptomatic improvement in patients with spasmodic torticollis. This earlier study appeared to describe a similar phenomenon to the hanger reflex, but it received little attention at the time.

The hanger reflex gained public attention in 1995 when a television program in Japan reported on a man who wore a wire hanger on his head while studying and experienced involuntary head rotation. This led to further research and the term "hanger reflex" being coined by Kajimoto et al. at the University of Electro-Communications in 2008.

The hanger reflex is characterised by the involuntary rotation of the head when a wire hanger is worn around it, applying force to the frontal temporal area. The exact cause of this phenomenon is not yet fully understood, but it is believed to be related to the application of a shearing force on the skin. The hanger reflex has potential therapeutic implications, particularly for conditions like cervical dystonia and other neurological disorders. It offers a non-invasive and inexpensive treatment option that has been the focus of ongoing research.

The hanger challenge went viral on TikTok in 2020 and 2022

The hanger challenge, also known as the "hanger reflex", is a trend that went viral on TikTok in 2020 and again in 2022. The challenge involves a person placing a wire coat hanger around their head, compressing the frontotemporal region, which then causes their head to rotate involuntarily.

The phenomenon was first reported by J. E. Christensen of the University of Copenhagen in 1991 and later gained attention on TikTok in 2020. The trend saw a revival in 2022, with users posting videos of themselves attempting the challenge and sharing their reactions and experiences. The hashtag for the "hanger challenge" has generated over 39.4 million views and thousands of videos.

While the exact mechanism behind the hanger reflex is not fully understood, a 2015 study by Japanese researchers found that it occurs in a majority of people. The study involved 120 healthy Japanese adults, aged 19-65, and found that 95.8% of participants experienced head rotation or the sensation of head rotation when a wire hanger was placed on their heads. The researchers speculated that the hanger reflex could potentially be used as a treatment for cervical dystonia, a condition that causes involuntary contraction of the neck muscles.

The hanger challenge has sparked discussions about its legitimacy, with some people questioning whether the reflex is real or just a hoax. However, the phenomenon has been studied and observed by scientists, providing evidence that the hanger reflex is, in fact, a real occurrence.

A 2015 study found that 95.8% of 120 participants experienced the hanger reflex

The hanger reflex is indeed real. In 1995, a Japanese television program reported that a man wore a wire hanger around his head and found that his head rotated involuntarily. This phenomenon was then studied in 2015 by researchers in Japan, who found that 95.8% of 120 participants experienced the hanger reflex.

The 2015 study involved placing a wire clothes hanger on the heads of 120 healthy Japanese adults, with the longer side of the hanger attached over the frontotemporal regions of the head. The results showed that 95.8% of the subjects felt a head rotation sensation, while only 4.2% were non-responders. Furthermore, 85.4% observed a rotation in the direction that coincided with the side compressed by the hanger, with no differences between the genders.

The hanger reflex, also known as HR, occurs when the unilateral frontotemporal region of the head is compressed by a hanger, causing unexpected head rotation. While the mechanism behind this reflex is still unclear, it has potential applications in the treatment of cervical dystonia and other neurological issues. The discovery of the hanger reflex may lead to the development of non-invasive treatments for dystonia disorders that cause involuntary neck movements.

The hanger reflex may be used to treat cervical dystonia

The hanger reflex is a human reflex that causes the involuntary rotation of the head when a wire hanger is worn around it. The phenomenon was first reported in 1991 by J.E. Christensen of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in connection with the treatment of spasmodic torticollis.

The hanger reflex has been explored as a possible treatment for cervical dystonia, a type of dystonia characterised by involuntary abnormal head position. The exact cause of cervical dystonia is unknown, but it is thought to be the result of an acquired neurological abnormality.

A variety of treatments are available for cervical dystonia, including electrical stimulation, biofeedback, physical therapy, botulinum toxin (BTX) injection, spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation (DBS), and selective denervation. According to the guidelines of the European Federation of Neurological Societies, BTX injection is the first-line treatment. However, this treatment requires repeated injections every three months and may not be financially feasible for some patients. DBS is recommended for patients who do not respond to BTX treatment, but it is both invasive and costly.

The hanger reflex has been proposed as a novel, less invasive, and inexpensive treatment option for cervical dystonia. A portable device that induces the hanger reflex has been developed and applied to patients with cervical dystonia. The device is elliptical, lightweight, and coated with urethane to prevent skin irritation and minimise discomfort. It is worn on the head for at least 30 minutes per day for three months.

Preliminary clinical trials have shown promising results. In one study, 19 patients with rotational-type cervical dystonia used the device for at least 30 minutes per day for three months. Severity scores on the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale were evaluated at baseline and after the trial, and the results suggested that the device could improve abnormal head rotation in patients with cervical dystonia. Another study with 23 patients showed that the device could improve abnormal head rotation even after the device was removed.

The hanger reflex may be a useful treatment for cervical dystonia, but further research is needed to fully understand its therapeutic potential. The mechanism underlying the hanger reflex is not yet fully understood, and there is currently little evidence of what factors are needed to induce it.

The hanger reflex is triggered by compressing the unilateral frontotemporal region of the head

The hanger reflex is a human reflex that causes the head to rotate involuntarily when a wire coat hanger is placed around it. This phenomenon was first reported in 1991 by J.E. Christensen of the University of Copenhagen, in a medical journal called The Lancet. However, it gained prominence in 2020 and 2022 through social media, particularly TikTok, where people posted videos of themselves undergoing the "hanger challenge".

A 2015 Japanese study by Takashi Asahi and colleagues investigated this phenomenon further. They conducted a study on 120 healthy Japanese adults, where a wire hanger was applied to each subject's head to compress the fronto-temporal regions. The study found that 95.8% of participants experienced the hanger reflex, with 85.4% of heads rotating in the direction of the compressed side. The researchers also noted no differences in responses between genders.

The exact mechanism underlying the hanger reflex remains unclear, but it is thought to be related to the application of a shearing force on the skin. The hanger reflex has potential therapeutic applications, particularly in the treatment of cervical dystonia and other neurological disorders.

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