How We Changed Dog Brains Through Breed Selection: The Harvard Study

    How We Changed Dog Brains Through Breed Selection: The Harvard Study

    The selection made by man on the different dog breeds has profoundly changed their evolution: dogs with similar tasks have similar neural networks

    He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

    The selection made by man on the different dog breeds has profoundly changed their evolution: dogs with similar tasks have similar neural networks





    Over the centuries, humans have selected numerous dog breeds to make them suitable for different tasks including hunting, breeding and companionship, influencing its evolution in a profound way.

    Today there are hundreds of dog breeds all over the world, from small Chihuahuas to Saint Bernards, which are differentiated by size and temperament precisely through the selection by man.

    Taking into account the variety of physical and character characteristics found among different dogs, it is not surprising that the selection also reshaped the animals' brains, as well as their bodies.

    But no one had ever explored until now whether the behavioral differences between dog breeds were reflected in changes in the brain structure of dogs.

    Harvard University neuroscientists thought about it through research aimed at investigating any neural variations between breeds selected to have different tasks.

    The study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, looked at whether and how selective breeding of breeds carried out by humans has altered the organization of the brain of dogs.

    To do this, the researchers performed MRI of the brain of 62 male and female dogs belonging to 33 very different breeds including Pitbull, Beagle, Yorkshire terrier and Doberman, looking for any neuroanatomical variations in the specimens.

    Clearly, dogs selected to stay small they have round heads with smaller brains, which occupy a large part of their skull, while the larger breeds they have a long and narrow head and therefore a more elongated brain which does not fill the whole space of the skull.

    However, scientists have discovered substantial differences not only in the size of the brain or the size of the skull, but above all in the neural organization of the different breeds depending on whether these were selected for company or to perform specialized tasks such as guarding, sniffing smells or accompanying blind people.



    By mapping brain networks, scientists have noticed, for example, that moles rescue dogssimilar development and activation of the prefrontal cortex occurs in police dogs and dogs selected for sporting fights.
    This would be explained precisely by cognitive and complex roles played by these dog breedsengaged in activities that require greater support of the prefrontal cortex.

    Moreover, most of the changes seem to have occurred more recently than in the past, a sign that the evolution of the dog happened rapidly.

    The results of the study therefore suggest that the anatomy and organization of the brain varies significantly between different dog breeds, most likely because of the selection applied by man.

    According to Erin E. Hecht, one of the authors of the study, the study can be of help to those who are looking for a dog to adopt, to choose the right breed for your needs and those of the animal, so as to be able to guarantee the well-being of both.

    But what is most surprising is how the impact of human activities has repercussions on everything around us, even going so far as to modify the nature of animals in such a profound way, as Hecht herself points out:



    "It is impressive that our brains are changing other brains on the planet." - said the neuroscientist.

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    Tatiana Maselli

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