Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Normal University, together with colleagues from the UK, have discovered that the brain activity of dogs and humans synchronizes during communication. The results of the study are published in the journal Advanced Science.
The study involved 19 dogs paired with humans. The animals bonded with the volunteers for five days. Simultaneous recording of brain activity was performed using non-invasive wireless electroencephalography (EEG). Special electrodes were placed in the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital cortex of the subjects' brains.
The researchers analyzed brain activity patterns in dogs and humans in three social situations: when they were in different rooms with no interactions, in the same room with social interactions (mutual gazing and petting), and in the same room with no social interactions.
The study found that visual contact between humans and dogs resulted in synchronization of their brain activity, especially in the frontal area, which is responsible for attention. When petting a dog, synchronization was observed in the parietal area of the brain, which is also associated with attention and perception. The level of synchronization in the frontal and parietal areas of dogs and humans increased during communication, reaching a maximum value on the seventh day.
It was also discovered that not every dog is capable of such coordination. During the study, scientists found that certain dogs with genetic mutations exhibited signs similar to autism spectrum disorder in humans. Such animals interacted less successfully with people, lost interest, and were unable to maintain synchronization of brain activity. These deviations led to social isolation – dogs became less responsive to affection and eye contact, which made communication difficult.
It turned out to be possible to eliminate such deviations with the help of a single injection of LSD, a semi-synthetic psychoactive substance that is classified as a psychedelic and can cause addiction.
