It may sound far away but
latest research suggests that the brains of dogs and humans synchronize when they look at each other.

This researchThe research, carried out by researchers in China, is the first to witness “neural coupling” between different species.

Neural coupling is the alignment of the brain activity of two or more individuals during an interaction. For people, this is often a response to a conversation or story.

Neural coupling has been observed when members of the same species interact.
mice,
bats,
people et al
primates. This connection of brains is probably
important in shaping reactions during social encounters and may result in complex behaviors that cannot be seen alone,
such as improving teamwork or
learning.

When social species interact,
their brains are “connecting”. But the fact that this is happening across different species raises interesting thoughts about the intricacies of the human-dog relationship and may help us understand each other a little better.

Dogs are more than just ‘friends’

The dog was one of them
first animals humans were domesticated. And their one
Long history of sharing time and space with us. Dogs are not just friends to us, they also have important roles in our society.
therapeutic support,
detect diseases and guarding and herding livestock.

As a result, dogs have developed some impressive skills, including the ability to:
Recognize and respond to our emotional state.

In the latest study, researchers examined neural coupling using so-called non-invasive brain activity recording equipment.
electroencephalography (EEG). This uses headgear containing electrodes that detect nerve signals, in this case from beagles and humans.
in the study.

Researchers examined what happened to these nerve signals when dogs and humans were isolated from each other and when they were near each other but not looking at each other. Dogs and humans were then allowed to interact with each other.

‘Eyes on you’

Brain signals synchronized when dogs and humans looked at each other and when dogs were petted. brain patterns
Important areas of the brain involved in attentionmatched in both dog and human.

Dogs and humans who became more familiar with each other over the five days of the study had increased synchronization of nerve signals. Previous studies of human-human interactions have found that:
increased familiarity among people It also resulted in a closer matching of brain patterns. So the depth of the relationship between humans and dogs may make the neural coupling stronger.

ability of dogs It is well known that it forms strong bonds with people. A study conducted in 2022 found that:
presence of familiar people It may reduce the stress response of young wolves, a close relative of the dog. Making neural connections with humans may be one way the dog-human relationship can improve.

The researchers also examined the potential impact of differences in the brain on neural coupling. They did this by including dogs with a mutation in a gene called Shank3, which can lead to impaired neural connectivity.
brain areas linked to attention. This gene is responsible for doing something.
protein that helps It promotes communication between cells and is especially abundant in the brain. Mutations in Shank3 have also been associated with:
Autism spectrum disorder in humans.

Research dogs with the Shank3 mutation did not show the same level of matching of brain signals as dogs without the mutation to humans. This is potentially because
impaired neural signaling and processing.

However, when researchers gave study dogs with the Shank3 mutation a single dose of LSD (a hallucinogenic drug), they showed that their attention levels increased and the neural connection with humans was reestablished.

LSD
Known to promote social behavior in mice And
peopleAlthough there are clearly ethical concerns about such treatment.

The researchers were clear that there was still much to learn about the neural connection between dogs and humans.

Looking into your dog’s eyes may mean that relevant brain signals will sync and strengthen your connection. The more familiar you become with each other, the stronger your relationship seems to become.

The next time a dog looks at you with his gaze
puppy dog ​​eyesDon’t forget that it could happen
improve your relationship.

Jacqueline BoydSenior Lecturer in Animal Sciences, Nottingham Trent University

This article is republished from:
Speech It is under Creative Commons license. Read
original article.