Post by doce on Jun 6, 2014 21:07:02 GMT -5
In a study of canines using an fMRI scanner, researchers in Hungary discovered that doggy brains react to voices in the same way human brains do.1 And they even respond as we do to crying, laughter, and other sounds that are emotional in nature.
Based on their observations, Attila Andics, lead study author from the Comparative Ethology Research Group at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences said: "We think dogs and humans have a very similar mechanism to process emotional information."
Researchers in Hungary, using an fMRI scanner, have discovered that canine brains respond to voices in the same way human brains do – including emotionally charged sounds like laughter and crying. In fact, the researchers concluded, “Dogs and humans have a very similar mechanism to process emotional information.”
The Hungarian study included 11 pet dogs trained through positive reinforcement to lay motionless for up to eight minutes in an fMRI scanner, and 22 human volunteers. The researchers played 200 different sounds to both groups, and discovered the temporal pole was activated in both the humans and dogs when human voices were played.
The researchers were surprised to find that the location of activity in the dogs’ brains is very similar to its location in the human brain. That the area exists at all in dogs’ brains is a surprise, as this is the first time it has been seen in a non-primate animal.
When emotional human sounds like crying and laughter were played for each group, the dogs’ response again showed a very similar pattern of activity to that of the humans, and the two groups also reacted similarly to the playing of emotionally charged canine vocalizations.
The focus of the next study by lead study author Attila Andics and colleagues will be to use fMRI scanner technology to evaluate canine responses to words spoken by their owner.
.
Based on their observations, Attila Andics, lead study author from the Comparative Ethology Research Group at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences said: "We think dogs and humans have a very similar mechanism to process emotional information."
Researchers in Hungary, using an fMRI scanner, have discovered that canine brains respond to voices in the same way human brains do – including emotionally charged sounds like laughter and crying. In fact, the researchers concluded, “Dogs and humans have a very similar mechanism to process emotional information.”
The Hungarian study included 11 pet dogs trained through positive reinforcement to lay motionless for up to eight minutes in an fMRI scanner, and 22 human volunteers. The researchers played 200 different sounds to both groups, and discovered the temporal pole was activated in both the humans and dogs when human voices were played.
The researchers were surprised to find that the location of activity in the dogs’ brains is very similar to its location in the human brain. That the area exists at all in dogs’ brains is a surprise, as this is the first time it has been seen in a non-primate animal.
When emotional human sounds like crying and laughter were played for each group, the dogs’ response again showed a very similar pattern of activity to that of the humans, and the two groups also reacted similarly to the playing of emotionally charged canine vocalizations.
The focus of the next study by lead study author Attila Andics and colleagues will be to use fMRI scanner technology to evaluate canine responses to words spoken by their owner.
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