death from laughter death from laughter death from laughter is a supposedly extremely rare form of death, usually resulting from either cardiac arrest or asphyxiation, that has itself been caused by a fit of laughter. instances of death by laughter have been recorded from the times of ancient greece to modern times. chrysippus allegedly died of laughter after witnessing a donkey eating a fig. der tod des dichters pietro aretino (the death of the poet pietro aretino) by anselm feuerbach usually, the phrase "dying from laughter" is used as a hyperbole. pathophysiology death may result from several pathologies that deviate from benign laughter. infarction of the pons and the medulla oblongata in the brain may cause the pseudobulbar affect. asphyxiation caused by laughter leads the body to shut down from the lack of oxygen. laughter can cause atonia and collapse ("agelastic syncope"), which in turn can cause trauma.