Study Finds , Petting a Dog , Boosts Brain Activity.
CNN reports that a recent study took a look at the impact that petting a dog has on our brains.
According to scientists at the University of Basel in Switzerland, petting a dog supercharges our brains.
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Specifically, it activates our frontal cortex, the part of the brain which oversees how we think and feel.
Study lead author Rahel Marti, a doctoral student at the University of Basel, says the findings further prove the cognitive and emotional benefits of human-animal therapy.
If patients with deficits in motivation, attention and socioemotional functioning show higher emotional involvement in activities connected to a dog, then such activities could increase the chance of learning and of achieving therapeutic aims, Rahel Marti, study lead author, via CNN.
CNN reports that the study backs up research suggesting that animal-assisted therapy can have a huge impact on rehabilitation for nervous system conditions.
The study reportedly found a stronger boost of brain activity when a person petted real fur as opposed to a stuffed animal.
We found that brain activity increased when the contact with the dog or a plush animal became closer.
This confirms previous studies linking closer contact with animals or control stimuli with increased brain activation, Rahel Marti, study lead author, via CNN.
We think emotional involvement might be a central underlying mechanism of brain activation in human-animal interactions, Rahel Marti, study lead author, via CNN.
The study was published on October 12 in the journal 'PLOS ONE.'
