In breeding dogs for specific behaviors like hunting or companionship, humans have significantly altered their brain structure, a study released Wednesday found.
Researchers analyzed MRI brain scans of 62 purebred dogs across 33 breeds, and the variation in the layout of the dogs' brains was glaring, Harvard University neuroscientist Erin Hecht told Science Magazine.
The differences were not just the result of different body sizes or skull shapes — they aligned with different behaviors, such as "sight hunting, scent hunting, guarding, and companionship," reads the study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Researchers found that dogs used for police work differed from other dogs in brain areas linked to sight and smell, while those bred for fighting showed differences in areas linked to fear and stress.
The dogs analyzed in the study were pets, not working dogs, which means the differences were evident in their brains even when not actively performing the behaviors, Hecht told Science Magazine.
The study serves as a reminder to be conscious about how humans are altering animals, Hecht says, and to be responsible about how we are treating them. Read more at Science Magazine.
-
August 24 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include Putin at Donald Trump's circus, gallons of whitewash, and a foldable cartoon
-
5 Post Office-approved cartoons about mail-in votingCartoons Artists take on reverse logic, Putin's election advice, and more
-
The battle of the weight-loss drugsTalking Point Can Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly regain their former stock market glory? A lot is riding on next year's pills
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
