If you need another excuse to pet a friendly dog, science suggests doing it is good for your brain.
By Anna Murray for Re: News
A new study has found petting dogs can boost the part of our brains that helps regulate our emotions.
Researchers in Switzerland compared 19 people’s brain functions when they interacted with a dog and again when they interacted with a stuffed animal.
Activity in their prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps regulate and process social and emotional interactions, was greater when they interacted with dogs.
The experiment saw people meet trained therapy dogs in different ways while their brain activity was measured.
During each visit, the participants would look at the dog, recline with the dog against their legs, and then pet the dog. They did this on three separate occasions.
They then did the same experiment with a stuffed lion named Leo that was filled with a water bottle to match the temperature and weight of the dogs.
The participants’ prefrontal brain activity was greater while they were with the real dogs, and especially while petting them.
Another key difference was this brain activity increased each time a person interacted with the real dog, while the brain activity with the stuffed lion stayed the same over each session.
Researchers also found the effects on the brain lasted after the dogs were no longer around. They say this could have impacts for animal-assisted therapy.
Interacting with animals, especially dogs, is already known to help people cope with stress and depression, so having a better understanding of brain activity in those situations could help create better systems for that therapy.
The research team says future studies should look at whether petting animals also triggers a similar response in patients with socioemotional issues.
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