The brains of dogs lit up differently when they heard an unfamiliar language, a new MRI experiment showed.
When a dog hears a language different from its owners’ native tongue, its brain activity is noticeably different compared to when it hears a familiar language. Those are the findings of a new study that scanned canine noggins using MRI, and they’re yet another indication that dogs are adept at recognizing the nuances of human communication.Animal behavior scientists in Hungary enlisted the aid of 18 dogs, all previously trained to sit still long enough to undergo a functional MRI scan.
The brains of the dogs, the researchers found, tended to light up in two different ways when they listened to the story read naturally,This brain activity was concentrated around twohumans and dogs. On the other hand, there were no major differences in their brain activity when hearing t.
, older dogs and those with longer snouts had greater differences in their brain activity during the experiments. The age difference might be simply the result of dogs having spent more time listening to their owners, but the team isn’t sure why longer-nose dogs may be better attuned to these sorts of language cues. Some breeds, such as s
hepherd dogs, could innately be more talented in this area, due to having been bred as herding animals that have to follow instructions well, the researchers speculated.Stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks on the go. Stay connected to family and friends with calls, texts, and email, even when you don’t have your phone.
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