Dogs and humans use similar parts of brain to listen

The study, which compared fMRI brain scans of dogs and humans, showed that dogs respond most to sounds from other dogs, and humans to the voices of other humans.

Interpreting the cacophony of sounds in our environment is done in specific areas of the brain. For dogs and human, the process is remarkably similar, a new study shows. Using neuroimaging techniques, researchers in Hungary have found that dogs and humans utilize the same region of the brain for interpreting sounds in their environment. They discovered it by comparing fMRI brain scans of dogs and humans listening to different types of sounds. It’s a finding that casts intriguing insights into the unique relationship between two very different species. The scientists published their results in the Feb 20, 2014, issue of Current Biology.

Atilla Andics, of MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Budapest, Hungary, said in a press release:

Our findings suggest that dogs and humans not only share a similar social environment, but they also use similar brain mechanisms to process social information. This may help the successfulness of vocal communication between the two species.

Sounds help us interpret our surroundings. The meanings of those sounds are worked out in a specific area of the brain, called the auditory cortex, in primates such as chimpanzees and humans. Activity in this region of the brain can be observed by running fMRI brain scans on people as they listen to sounds. The scans show that humans are particularly tuned in to the voices of other humans since it’s our main mode of communication…

http://earthsky.org/human-world/dogs-and-humans-use-similar-parts-of-brain-to-listen?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=d34b07400e-EarthSky_News&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-d34b07400e-393828717