Ο επιστήμονας Gregory Berns μελετά εδώ και χρόνια τον εγκέφαλο του σκύλου, και τα ευρήματά του τον οδηγούν στο συμπέρασμα πως... "οι σκύλοι κατά βάθος είναι πάρα πολύ άνθρωποι!".
Ο νευρολόγος του πανεπιστημίου Emory, έγραψε πρόσφατα στους New York Times ένα άρθρο που εξηγεί την έρευνά του. Και περιγράφει τα ευρήματά του σχετικά με την φύση των συναισθημάτων των σκύλων.
Ο Berns και οι συνάδελφοί του, πραγματοποιούν τα τελευταία δύο χρόνια μαγνητικές τομογραφίες σε σκύλους. Τα σκυλιά πρώτα εκπαιδεύονται για κάποιο διάστημα ώστε να μπορούν να μένουν ήρεμα μέσα στο κλειστοφοβικό περιβάλλον του μαγνητικού τομογράφου. Στην συνέχεια εισέρχονται μέσα στην συσκευή με άνεση, και ο εγκέφαλός τους σκανάρεται την στιγμή που βρίσκονται ξύπνιοι και σε πλήρη εγρήγορση. Με την μέθοδο της θετικής εκπαίδευσης, τα σκυλιά έμαθαν γρήγορα να κάθονται σωστά μέσα στον μαγνητικό τομογράφο, και οι επιστήμονες κατάφεραν να αποκτήσουν αρκετές εικόνες πλέον, του εγκεφάλου του σκύλου, όταν αυτός βρίσκεται σε πλήρη ενεργητικότητα.
Το πρώτο εκπαιδευμένο σκυλί που πήρε μέρος στην έρευνα, είναι το ίδιο το σκυλί του νευρολόγου Berns, η Callie.
Αφού ολοκλήρωσε την παρακολούθηση 12 διαφορετικών σκύλων, ο Berns διαπίστωσε πως υπάρχει μια εντυπωσιακή ομοιότητα μεταξύ του ανθρώπινου και του σκυλίσιου εγκεφάλου, ειδικά σε μια περιοχή που ονομάζεται "κερκοφόρος πυρήνας". Αυτή η περιοχή του εγκεφάλου είναι υπεύθυνη για την παραγωγή θετικών σκέψεων. Και ενεργοποιείται με κάθε τι που μπορεί να απολαμβάνει ένας άνθρωπος, όπως το φαγητό, την αγάπη, τα χρήματα, την επιτυχία.
"Η έρευνα στους σκύλους μας έδειξε πως ο κερκοφόρος πυρήνας τους ενεργοποιείται κάθε φορά που χρησιμοποιούμε τα χέρια μας για να τους δείξουμε το φαγητό, κάθε φορά που "πιάνουν" στον χώρο την μυρωδιά ενός οικείου τους προσώπου, και κάθε φορά που ξαναβλέπουν τον ιδιοκτήτη τους αφού αυτός πρώτα έχει εξαφανιστεί για λίγα λεπτά.
"Μήπως αυτό αποδεικνύει πως οι σκύλοι μας αγαπούν? Όχι ακριβώς. Όμως πολλά από τα ερεθίσματα που ενεργοποιούν τον ανθρώπινο κερκοφόρο πυρήνα, που συνδέεται με τα θετικά συναισθήματα, ενεργοποιούν και τον κερκοφόρο πυρήνα του σκύλου, και αυτό είναι σαφώς μια απόδειξη πως οι σκύλοι έχουν συναισθήματα", γράφει ο Berns.
Η έρευνα του Berns μας φέρνει αντιμέτωπους με μερικά δύσκολα ερωτήματα σχετικά με την συνείδηση και τα συναισθήματα των ζώων, και το πως αυτά αντιμετωπίζονται από τον άνθρωπο. Δεδομένου ότι τα ζώα αποτελούν ένα μεγάλο κομμάτι στην έρευνα των επιστημόνων, αλλά και στην "επιχειρηματική" διαδικασία, με τις φάρμες εκτροφής, την εμπορία ζώων κλπ, η συγκεκριμένη έρευνα εγείρει πλέον κάποια ηθικά ζητήματα.
Ο Berns επισημαίνει πως μέχρι στιγμής οι σκύλοι θεωρούνται "ιδιοκτησία", σύμφωνα με τον νόμο περί ευημερίας των ζώων του 1966. Ωστόσο, αν τα σκυλιά έχουν συναισθήματα παρόμοια με των μικρών παιδιών, δεν θα πρέπει να τους παρέχεται η ανάλογη προστασία από την εμπορική και γενικότερη εκμετάλλευση?
Τέλος, αυτή η έρευνα δείχνει επίσης, πως έχουμε ακόμα να μάθουμε πάρα πολλά για τα συναισθήματα των ζώων.
πηγή: dogheirs.com
Do
dogs have feelings similar to humans? Scientist Gregory Berns has been
studying the brains of dogs for several years and his findings have lead
him to the conclusion "dogs are people, too."
The neuroscientist at Emory University wrote an essay in the New York Times that explains his research. His recent findings bring up compelling questions about the nature of emotions in dogs.
Berns and his fellow researchers have been taking MRI brain scans of dogs for the past two years. The dogs first needed to be trained to be calm inside the claustraphobic device so they could be scanned while fully awake and unrestrained. Using positive reinforcement techniques, the dogs learned how to sit still in the MRI. This allowed scientists to take active "pictures" of the canine brain. The first trained dog was Berns' own rescue dog Callie.
After monitoring a dozen dogs Berns found that there was a striking similarity between the canine brain and human brain in the region of the brain called the caudate nucleus. This area of the brain is key in anticipating positive thoughts. This can include things that humans enjoy such as food, love, money.
"In dogs, we found that activity in the caudate increased in response to hand signals indicating food. The caudate also activated to the smells of familiar humans. And in preliminary tests, it activated to the return of an owner who had momentarily stepped out of view. Do these findings prove that dogs love us? Not quite. But many of the same things that activate the human caudate, which are associated with positive emotions, also activate the dog caudate. Neuroscientists call this a functional homology, and it may be an indication of canine emotions," writes Berns.
Berns' research brings up difficult questions about animal consciousness and emotion and how they are treated by humans. As animals are a big part of animal research and business enterprises (such as puppy mills), Berns' research raises interesting ethical questions. Berns points out that presently dogs are considered "property" as the Animal Welfare Act of 1966. However, if dogs have emotions similar to young children, then shouldn't they be afforded protection from exploitation?
It also shows how much more we have to learn about animal emotions.
Read more at http://www.dogheirs.com/elleng/posts/4212-dogs-are-people-too-says-neuroscientist#T06Av0JGHhrXVZTI.99
The neuroscientist at Emory University wrote an essay in the New York Times that explains his research. His recent findings bring up compelling questions about the nature of emotions in dogs.
Berns and his fellow researchers have been taking MRI brain scans of dogs for the past two years. The dogs first needed to be trained to be calm inside the claustraphobic device so they could be scanned while fully awake and unrestrained. Using positive reinforcement techniques, the dogs learned how to sit still in the MRI. This allowed scientists to take active "pictures" of the canine brain. The first trained dog was Berns' own rescue dog Callie.
After monitoring a dozen dogs Berns found that there was a striking similarity between the canine brain and human brain in the region of the brain called the caudate nucleus. This area of the brain is key in anticipating positive thoughts. This can include things that humans enjoy such as food, love, money.
"In dogs, we found that activity in the caudate increased in response to hand signals indicating food. The caudate also activated to the smells of familiar humans. And in preliminary tests, it activated to the return of an owner who had momentarily stepped out of view. Do these findings prove that dogs love us? Not quite. But many of the same things that activate the human caudate, which are associated with positive emotions, also activate the dog caudate. Neuroscientists call this a functional homology, and it may be an indication of canine emotions," writes Berns.
Berns' research brings up difficult questions about animal consciousness and emotion and how they are treated by humans. As animals are a big part of animal research and business enterprises (such as puppy mills), Berns' research raises interesting ethical questions. Berns points out that presently dogs are considered "property" as the Animal Welfare Act of 1966. However, if dogs have emotions similar to young children, then shouldn't they be afforded protection from exploitation?
It also shows how much more we have to learn about animal emotions.
Read more at http://www.dogheirs.com/elleng/posts/4212-dogs-are-people-too-says-neuroscientist#T06Av0JGHhrXVZTI.99
Do
dogs have feelings similar to humans? Scientist Gregory Berns has been
studying the brains of dogs for several years and his findings have lead
him to the conclusion "dogs are people, too."
The neuroscientist at Emory University wrote an essay in the New York Times that explains his research. His recent findings bring up compelling questions about the nature of emotions in dogs.
Berns and his fellow researchers have been taking MRI brain scans of dogs for the past two years. The dogs first needed to be trained to be calm inside the claustraphobic device so they could be scanned while fully awake and unrestrained. Using positive reinforcement techniques, the dogs learned how to sit still in the MRI. This allowed scientists to take active "pictures" of the canine brain. The first trained dog was Berns' own rescue dog Callie.
After monitoring a dozen dogs Berns found that there was a striking similarity between the canine brain and human brain in the region of the brain called the caudate nucleus. This area of the brain is key in anticipating positive thoughts. This can include things that humans enjoy such as food, love, money.
"In dogs, we found that activity in the caudate increased in response to hand signals indicating food. The caudate also activated to the smells of familiar humans. And in preliminary tests, it activated to the return of an owner who had momentarily stepped out of view. Do these findings prove that dogs love us? Not quite. But many of the same things that activate the human caudate, which are associated with positive emotions, also activate the dog caudate. Neuroscientists call this a functional homology, and it may be an indication of canine emotions," writes Berns.
Berns' research brings up difficult questions about animal consciousness and emotion and how they are treated by humans. As animals are a big part of animal research and business enterprises (such as puppy mills), Berns' research raises interesting ethical questions. Berns points out that presently dogs are considered "property" as the Animal Welfare Act of 1966. However, if dogs have emotions similar to young children, then shouldn't they be afforded protection from exploitation?
It also shows how much more we have to learn about animal emotions.
Read more at http://www.dogheirs.com/elleng/posts/4212-dogs-are-people-too-says-neuroscientist#T06Av0JGHhrXVZTI.99
The neuroscientist at Emory University wrote an essay in the New York Times that explains his research. His recent findings bring up compelling questions about the nature of emotions in dogs.
Berns and his fellow researchers have been taking MRI brain scans of dogs for the past two years. The dogs first needed to be trained to be calm inside the claustraphobic device so they could be scanned while fully awake and unrestrained. Using positive reinforcement techniques, the dogs learned how to sit still in the MRI. This allowed scientists to take active "pictures" of the canine brain. The first trained dog was Berns' own rescue dog Callie.
After monitoring a dozen dogs Berns found that there was a striking similarity between the canine brain and human brain in the region of the brain called the caudate nucleus. This area of the brain is key in anticipating positive thoughts. This can include things that humans enjoy such as food, love, money.
"In dogs, we found that activity in the caudate increased in response to hand signals indicating food. The caudate also activated to the smells of familiar humans. And in preliminary tests, it activated to the return of an owner who had momentarily stepped out of view. Do these findings prove that dogs love us? Not quite. But many of the same things that activate the human caudate, which are associated with positive emotions, also activate the dog caudate. Neuroscientists call this a functional homology, and it may be an indication of canine emotions," writes Berns.
Berns' research brings up difficult questions about animal consciousness and emotion and how they are treated by humans. As animals are a big part of animal research and business enterprises (such as puppy mills), Berns' research raises interesting ethical questions. Berns points out that presently dogs are considered "property" as the Animal Welfare Act of 1966. However, if dogs have emotions similar to young children, then shouldn't they be afforded protection from exploitation?
It also shows how much more we have to learn about animal emotions.
Read more at http://www.dogheirs.com/elleng/posts/4212-dogs-are-people-too-says-neuroscientist#T06Av0JGHhrXVZTI.99
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