A recent study in Science led by Takefumi Kikusui, an animal behaviorist at Azabu University in Japan is reviewed by Alan Manevitz, MD
What’s the most significant/striking finding here? Were you surprised to find that this feedback loop with oxytocin exists with dogs and humans? Why or why not?
Gaze between humans has always been demonstrated to have importance in communication (though we know that blind people can also develop trustworthy and excellent communication without gaze). Oxytocin is released in the maternal-baby relationship during gazing. While oxytocin has been associated with contributing to social bonding, it is not surprising that the same may exist with ‘man’s best friend’ i.e. dogs. The finding of positive oxytocin biological loops mediated by dyadic interactive interactions supports this. The area of the brain is currently thought to be in the anterior cingulated cortex, a region strongly acted upon by oxytocin systems. This biological mechanism may have led to the domestication of dogs earlier in history.
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