Same brain area in humans, dogs responds to voices
The brains of both humans and dogs have similar mechanisms when it comes to responding to voices and processing emotional cues, according to a new study.
Scientists from MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Budapest took brain scans of humans and 11 dogs. The human and dog subjects were played recordings of almost 200 different vocal sounds of people and dogs, including crying, laughing and barking. The scans revealed that the same brain areas that responded to the sounds in humans were the same as those in dogs. Researchers also found that the brain responses of both humans and dogs were similar when responding to emotionally-charged sounds.
The study was the first to compare brain activity of humans and non-primates and was published in the journal Current Biology. Researchers said that their findings may help humans better understand how dogs are sensing feelings and understanding their social environment. Further research is needed in order to confirm these findings, but scientists believe the study is a first step in understanding the role of empathy throughout evolution.