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Cuaya LV, Hernández-Pérez R, Andics A, Báji R, Gácsi M, Guilloux M, Roche A, Callejon L, Miklósi Á, Ujfalussy DJ. Representation of rewards differing in their hedonic valence in the caudate nucleus correlates with the performance in a problem-solving task in dogs (Canis familiaris). Sci Rep 2023; 13:14353. [PMID: 37658109 PMCID: PMC10474021 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40539-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We have investigated dogs' (Canis familiaris) abilities in associating different sounds with appetitive stimuli of different incentive values. The association's establishment was first tested on family dogs (n = 20) in a problem-solving behavioural paradigm (experiment 1), then in a problem-solving behavioural paradigm as well as an fMRI study on specially trained family dogs (n = 20) (experiment 2). The aim was to show behavioural and parallel neural effects of the association formed between the two sounds and two different associated appetitive stimuli. The latency of solving the problem was considered an indicator of the motivational state. In our first experiment, where only behaviour was studied, we found that dogs were quicker in solving a problem upon hearing the sound associated with food higher in reward value, suggesting that they have successfully associated the sounds with the corresponding food value. In our second experiment, this behaviour difference was not significant. In the fMRI study, the cerebral response to the two sounds was compared both before and after the associative training. Two bilateral regions of interest were explored: the caudate nucleus and the amygdala. After the associative training, the response in the caudate nucleus was higher to the sound related to a higher reward value food than to the sound related to a lower reward value food, which difference was not present before the associative training. We found an increase in the amygdala response to both sounds after the training. In a whole-brain representational similarity analysis, we found that cerebral patterns in the caudate nucleus to the two sounds were different only after the training. Moreover, we found a positive correlation between the dissimilarity index in the caudate nucleus for activation responses to the two sounds and the difference in latencies (i.e. high reward value associated sound condition latency-low reward value associated sound condition latency) to solve the behavioural task: the bigger the difference between the conditions in latency to solve the task, the greater the difference in the neural representation of the two sounds was. In summary, family dogs' brain activation patterns reflected their expectations based on what they learned about the relationship between two sounds and their associated appetitive stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura V Cuaya
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Raúl Hernández-Pérez
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Andics
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rita Báji
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- MTA-ELTE 'Lendület' Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences - Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márta Gácsi
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- ELKH-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Alice Roche
- Symrise Pet Food - Spécialités Pet Food SAS, Elven, France
| | | | - Ádám Miklósi
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dorottya Júlia Ujfalussy
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
- Psychobiology Research Group - NAP, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Lendület "Momentum" Companion Animal Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
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2
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Byrne C, Starner T, Jackson M. Quantifying canine interactions with smart toys assesses suitability for service dog work. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:886941. [PMID: 36118349 PMCID: PMC9481248 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.886941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There are approximately a half million active service dogs in the United States, providing life-changing assistance and independence to people with a wide range of disabilities. The tremendous value of service dogs creates significant demand, which service dog providers struggle to meet. Breeding, raising, and training service dogs is an expensive, time-consuming endeavor which is exacerbated by expending resources on dogs who ultimately will prove to be unsuitable for service dog work because of temperament issues. Quantifying behavior and temperament through sensor-instrumented dog toys can provide a way to predict which dogs will be suitable for service dog work, allowing resources to be focused on the dogs likely to succeed. In a 2-year study, we tested dogs in advanced training at Canine Companions for Independence with instrumented toys, and we discovered that a measure of average bite duration is significantly correlated with a dog's placement success as a service dog [Adjusted OR = 0.12, Pr(>|z|) = 0.00666]. Applying instrumented toy interactions to current behavioral assessments could yield more accurate measures for predicting successful placement of service dogs while reducing the workload of the trainers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceara Byrne
- Traverso Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Ceara Byrne
| | - Thad Starner
- Animal Centered Computing Lab, Georgia Institution of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Melody Jackson
- Animal Centered Computing Lab, Georgia Institution of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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3
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Eyre AW, Zapata I, Hare E, Lee KMN, Bellis C, Essler JL, Otto CM, Serpell JA, Alvarez CE. Genome scanning of behavioral selection in a canine olfactory detection breeding cohort. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14984. [PMID: 36056154 PMCID: PMC9440224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18698-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on working dogs is growing rapidly due to increasing global demand. Here we report genome scanning of the risk of puppies being eliminated for behavioral reasons prior to entering the training phase of the US Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) canine olfactory detection breeding and training program through 2013. Elimination of dogs for behavioral rather than medical reasons was based on evaluations at three, six, nine and twelve months after birth. Throughout that period, the fostered dogs underwent standardized behavioral tests at TSA facilities, and, for a subset of tests, dogs were tested in four different environments. Using methods developed for family studies, we performed a case-control genome wide association study (GWAS) of elimination due to behavioral observation and testing results in a cohort of 528 Labrador Retrievers (2002-2013). We accounted for relatedness by including the pedigree as a covariate and maximized power by including individuals with phenotype, but not genotype, data (approximately half of this cohort). We determined genome wide significance based on Bonferroni adjustment of two quasi-likelihood score tests optimized for either small or nearly-fully penetrant effect sizes. Six loci were significant and five suggestive, with approximately equal numbers of loci for the two tests and frequencies of loci with single versus multiple mapped markers. Several loci implicate a single gene, including CHD2, NRG3 and PDE1A which have strong relevance to behavior in humans and other species. We briefly discuss how expanded studies of canine breeding programs could advance understanding of learning and performance in the mammalian life course. Although human interactions and other environmental conditions will remain critical, our findings suggest genomic breeding selection could help improve working dog populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander W Eyre
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA
| | - Isain Zapata
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Parker, CO, 80134, USA
| | | | - Katharine M N Lee
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA
| | - Claire Bellis
- Human Genomics, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138672, Singapore
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Genomics Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Essler
- Penn Vet Working Dog Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19146, USA
- Department of Animal Science, State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill, New York, USA
| | - Cynthia M Otto
- Penn Vet Working Dog Center, Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19146, USA
| | - James A Serpell
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Carlos E Alvarez
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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4
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Gillette KD, Phillips EM, Dilks DD, Berns GS. Using Live and Video Stimuli to Localize Face and Object Processing Regions of the Canine Brain. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12010108. [PMID: 35011214 PMCID: PMC8749767 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary We showed dogs and humans live-action stimuli (actors and objects) and videos of the same stimuli during fMRI to measure the equivalency of live and two-dimensional stimuli in the dog’s brain. We found that video stimuli were effective in defining face and object regions. However, the human fusiform face area and posterior superior temporal sulcus, and the analogous area in the dog brain, appeared to respond preferentially to live stimuli. In object regions, there was not a significantly different response between live and video stimuli. Abstract Previous research to localize face areas in dogs’ brains has generally relied on static images or videos. However, most dogs do not naturally engage with two-dimensional images, raising the question of whether dogs perceive such images as representations of real faces and objects. To measure the equivalency of live and two-dimensional stimuli in the dog’s brain, during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we presented dogs and humans with live-action stimuli (actors and objects) as well as videos of the same actors and objects. The dogs (n = 7) and humans (n = 5) were presented with 20 s blocks of faces and objects in random order. In dogs, we found significant areas of increased activation in the putative dog face area, and in humans, we found significant areas of increased activation in the fusiform face area to both live and video stimuli. In both dogs and humans, we found areas of significant activation in the posterior superior temporal sulcus (ectosylvian fissure in dogs) and the lateral occipital complex (entolateral gyrus in dogs) to both live and video stimuli. Of these regions of interest, only the area along the ectosylvian fissure in dogs showed significantly more activation to live faces than to video faces, whereas, in humans, both the fusiform face area and posterior superior temporal sulcus responded significantly more to live conditions than video conditions. However, using the video conditions alone, we were able to localize all regions of interest in both dogs and humans. Therefore, videos can be used to localize these regions of interest, though live conditions may be more salient.
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McKnight JC, Ruesch A, Bennett K, Bronkhorst M, Balfour S, Moss SEW, Milne R, Tyack PL, Kainerstorfer JM, Hastie GD. Shining new light on sensory brain activation and physiological measurement in seals using wearable optical technology. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200224. [PMID: 34121458 PMCID: PMC8200653 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory ecology and physiology of free-ranging animals is challenging to study but underpins our understanding of decision-making in the wild. Existing non-invasive human biomedical technology offers tools that could be harnessed to address these challenges. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a wearable, non-invasive biomedical imaging technique measures oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin concentration changes that can be used to detect localized neural activation in the brain. We tested the efficacy of fNIRS to detect cortical activation in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and identify regions of the cortex associated with different senses (vision, hearing and touch). The activation of specific cerebral areas in seals was detected by fNIRS in responses to light (vision), sound (hearing) and whisker stimulation (touch). Physiological parameters, including heart and breathing rate, were also extracted from the fNIRS signal, which allowed neural and physiological responses to be monitored simultaneously. This is, to our knowledge, the first time fNIRS has been used to detect cortical activation in a non-domesticated or laboratory animal. Because fNIRS is non-invasive and wearable, this study demonstrates its potential as a tool to quantitatively investigate sensory perception and brain function while simultaneously recording heart rate, tissue and arterial oxygen saturation of haemoglobin, perfusion changes and breathing rate in free-ranging animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Chris McKnight
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Alexander Ruesch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kimberley Bennett
- Division of Science, School of Engineering and Technology, Abertay University, Dundee, UK
| | - Mathijs Bronkhorst
- Artinis Medical Systems BV, Einsteinweg 17, 6662 PW Elst, The Netherlands
| | - Steve Balfour
- Sea Mammal Research Unit Instrumentation Group, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Simon E. W. Moss
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Ryan Milne
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Peter L. Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Jana M. Kainerstorfer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Gordon D. Hastie
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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6
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Bray EE, Otto CM, Udell MAR, Hall NJ, Johnston AM, MacLean EL. Enhancing the Selection and Performance of Working Dogs. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:644431. [PMID: 34055947 PMCID: PMC8149746 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.644431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dogs perform a variety of integral roles in our society, engaging in work ranging from assistance (e.g., service dogs, guide dogs) and therapy to detection (e.g., search-and-rescue dogs, explosive detection dogs) and protection (e.g., military and law enforcement dogs). However, success in these roles, which requires dogs to meet challenging behavioral criteria and to undergo extensive training, is far from guaranteed. Therefore, enhancing the selection process is critical for the effectiveness and efficiency of working dog programs and has the potential to optimize how resources are invested in these programs, increase the number of available working dogs, and improve working dog welfare. In this paper, we review two main approaches for achieving this goal: (1) developing selection tests and criteria that can efficiently and effectively identify ideal candidates from the overall pool of candidate dogs, and (2) developing approaches to enhance performance, both at the individual and population level, via improvements in rearing, training, and breeding. We summarize key findings from the empirical literature regarding best practices for assessing, selecting, and improving working dogs, and conclude with future steps and recommendations for working dog organizations, breeders, trainers, and researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Bray
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, United States
| | - Cynthia M Otto
- Penn Vet Working Dog Center, Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Monique A R Udell
- Human-Animal Interaction Laboratory, Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Nathaniel J Hall
- Canine Olfaction Lab, Department of Animal and Food Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Angie M Johnston
- Boston College Canine Cognition Center, Psychology and Neuroscience Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, United States
| | - Evan L MacLean
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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7
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Prichard A, Chhibber R, Athanassiades K, Chiu V, Spivak M, Berns GS. 2D or not 2D? An fMRI study of how dogs visually process objects. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:1143-1151. [PMID: 33772693 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01506-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Given humans' habitual use of screens, they rarely consider potential differences when viewing two-dimensional (2D) stimuli and real-world versions of dimensional stimuli. Dogs also have access to many forms of screens and touchpads, with owners even subscribing to dog-directed content. Humans understand that 2D stimuli are representations of real-world objects, but do dogs? In canine cognition studies, 2D stimuli are almost always used to study what is normally 3D, like faces, and may assume that both 2D and 3D stimuli are represented in the brain the same way. Here, we used awake fMRI in 15 dogs to examine the neural mechanisms underlying dogs' perception of two- and three-dimensional objects after the dogs were trained on either two- or three-dimensional versions of the objects. Activation within reward processing regions and parietal cortex of the dog brain to 2D and 3D versions of objects was determined by their training experience, as dogs trained on one dimensionality showed greater differential activation within the dimension on which they were trained. These results show that dogs do not automatically generalize between two- and three-dimensional versions of object stimuli and suggest that future research consider the implicit assumptions when using pictures or videos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Prichard
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Raveena Chhibber
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Veronica Chiu
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Mark Spivak
- Comprehensive Pet Therapy, Inc, Sandy Springs, GA, 30328, USA
| | - Gregory S Berns
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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8
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Prichard A, Chhibber R, Athanassiades K, Chiu V, Spivak M, Berns GS. The mouth matters most: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of how dogs perceive inanimate objects. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:2987-2994. [PMID: 33745141 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The perception and representation of objects in the world are foundational to all animals. The relative importance of objects' physical properties versus how the objects are interacted with continues to be debated. Neural evidence in humans and nonhuman primates suggests animate-inanimate and face-body dimensions of objects are represented in the temporal cortex. However, because primates have opposable thumbs and interact with objects in similar ways, the question remains as to whether this similarity represents the evolution of a common cognitive process or whether it reflects a similarity of physical interaction. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in dogs to test whether the type of interaction affects object processing in an animal that interacts primarily with its mouth. In Study 1, we identified object-processing regions of cortex by having dogs passively view movies of faces and objects. In Study 2, dogs were trained to interact with two new objects with either the mouth or the paw. Then, we measured responsivity in the object regions to the presentation of these objects. Mouth-objects elicited significantly greater activity in object regions than paw-objects. Mouth-objects were also associated with activity in somatosensory cortex, suggesting dogs were anticipating mouthing interactions. These findings suggest that object perception in dogs is affected by how dogs expect to interact with familiar objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Prichard
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | - Veronica Chiu
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mark Spivak
- Comprehensive Pet Therapy, Inc., Sandy Springs, Georgia, USA
| | - Gregory S Berns
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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9
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Cook PF, Hoard VA, Dolui S, Frederick BD, Redfern R, Dennison SE, Halaska B, Bloom J, Kruse-Elliott KT, Whitmer ER, Trumbull EJ, Berns GS, Detre JA, D'Esposito M, Gulland FMD, Reichmuth C, Johnson SP, Field CL, Inglis BA. An MRI protocol for anatomical and functional evaluation of the California sea lion brain. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 353:109097. [PMID: 33581216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Domoic acid (DOM) is a neurotoxin produced by some harmful algae blooms in coastal waters. California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) exposed to DOM often strand on beaches where they exhibit a variety of symptoms, including seizures. These animals typically show hippocampal atrophy on MRI scans. NEW METHOD We describe an MRI protocol for comprehensive evaluation of DOM toxicosis in the sea lion brain. We intend to study brain development in pups exposed in utero. The protocol depicts the hippocampal formation as the primary region of interest. We include scans for quantitative morphometry, functional and structural connectivity, and a cerebral blood flow map. RESULTS High-resolution 3D anatomical scans facilitate post hoc slicing in arbitrary planes and accurate morphometry. We demonstrate the first cerebral blood flow map using MRI, and the first structural tractography from a live sea lion brain. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Scans were compared to prior anatomical and functional studies in live sea lions, and structural connectivity in post mortem specimens. Hippocampal volumes were broadly in line with prior studies, with differences likely attributable to the 3D approach used here. Functional connectivity of the dorsal left hippocampus matched that found in a prior study conducted at a lower magnetic field, while structural connectivity in the live brain agreed with findings observed in post mortem studies. CONCLUSIONS Our protocol provides a comprehensive, longitudinal view of the functional and anatomical changes expected to result from DOM toxicosis. It can also screen for other common neurological pathologies and is suitable for any pinniped that can fit inside an MRI scanner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter F Cook
- Department of Biopsychology, New College of Florida, 5800 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL, 34243, USA
| | - Vanessa A Hoard
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - Sudipto Dolui
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Blaise deB Frederick
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard University Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; McLean Hospital Brain Imaging Center, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Richard Redfern
- Henry H. Wheeler, Jr. Brain Imaging Center, 188 Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | | | - Barbie Halaska
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - Josh Bloom
- AnimalScan Advanced Veterinary Imaging, 934 Charter St, Redwood City, CA, 94063, USA
| | - Kris T Kruse-Elliott
- AnimalScan Advanced Veterinary Imaging, 934 Charter St, Redwood City, CA, 94063, USA
| | - Emily R Whitmer
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - Emily J Trumbull
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - Gregory S Berns
- Psychology Department, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - John A Detre
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Mark D'Esposito
- Henry H. Wheeler, Jr. Brain Imaging Center, 188 Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, 132 Barker Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Frances M D Gulland
- School of Veterinary Medicine Wildlife Health Center, University of California at Davis, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Dr, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Colleen Reichmuth
- Long Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California at Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Shawn P Johnson
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - Cara L Field
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - Ben A Inglis
- Henry H. Wheeler, Jr. Brain Imaging Center, 188 Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
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10
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Boch M, Karl S, Sladky R, Huber L, Lamm C, Wagner IC. Tailored haemodynamic response function increases detection power of fMRI in awake dogs (Canis familiaris). Neuroimage 2021; 224:117414. [PMID: 33011420 PMCID: PMC7616344 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of awake and unrestrained dogs (Canis familiaris) has been established as a novel opportunity for comparative neuroimaging, promising important insights into the evolutionary roots of human brain function and cognition. However, data processing and analysis pipelines are often derivatives of methodological standards developed for human neuroimaging, which may be problematic due to profound neurophysiological and anatomical differences between humans and dogs. Here, we explore whether dog fMRI studies would benefit from a tailored dog haemodynamic response function (HRF). In two independent experiments, dogs were presented with different visual stimuli. BOLD signal changes in the visual cortex during these experiments were used for (a) the identification and estimation of a tailored dog HRF, and (b) the independent validation of the resulting dog HRF estimate. Time course analyses revealed that the BOLD signal in the primary visual cortex peaked significantly earlier in dogs compared to humans, while being comparable in shape. Deriving a tailored dog HRF significantly improved the model fit in both experiments, compared to the canonical HRF used in human fMRI. Using the dog HRF yielded significantly increased activation during visual stimulation, extending from the occipital lobe to the caudal parietal cortex, the bilateral temporal cortex, into bilateral hippocampal and thalamic regions. In sum, our findings provide robust evidence for an earlier onset of the dog HRF in two visual stimulation paradigms, and suggest that using such an HRF will be important to increase fMRI detection power in canine neuroimaging. By providing the parameters of the tailored dog HRF and related code, we encourage and enable other researchers to validate whether our findings generalize to other sensory modalities and experimental paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Boch
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabrina Karl
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ronald Sladky
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Isabella C Wagner
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria.
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11
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Karl S, Boch M, Zamansky A, van der Linden D, Wagner IC, Völter CJ, Lamm C, Huber L. Exploring the dog-human relationship by combining fMRI, eye-tracking and behavioural measures. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22273. [PMID: 33335230 PMCID: PMC7747637 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79247-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioural studies revealed that the dog-human relationship resembles the human mother-child bond, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report the results of a multi-method approach combining fMRI (N = 17), eye-tracking (N = 15), and behavioural preference tests (N = 24) to explore the engagement of an attachment-like system in dogs seeing human faces. We presented morph videos of the caregiver, a familiar person, and a stranger showing either happy or angry facial expressions. Regardless of emotion, viewing the caregiver activated brain regions associated with emotion and attachment processing in humans. In contrast, the stranger elicited activation mainly in brain regions related to visual and motor processing, and the familiar person relatively weak activations overall. While the majority of happy stimuli led to increased activation of the caudate nucleus associated with reward processing, angry stimuli led to activations in limbic regions. Both the eye-tracking and preference test data supported the superior role of the caregiver's face and were in line with the findings from the fMRI experiment. While preliminary, these findings indicate that cutting across different levels, from brain to behaviour, can provide novel and converging insights into the engagement of the putative attachment system when dogs interact with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Karl
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Magdalena Boch
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Zamansky
- Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Dirk van der Linden
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Isabella C Wagner
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph J Völter
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, 1010, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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12
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Reliability of fNIRS for noninvasive monitoring of brain function and emotion in sheep. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14726. [PMID: 32895449 PMCID: PMC7477174 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71704-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this work was to critically assess if functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) can be profitably used as a tool for noninvasive recording of brain functions and emotions in sheep. We considered an experimental design including advances in instrumentation (customized wireless multi-distance fNIRS system), more accurate physical modelling (two-layer model for photon diffusion and 3D Monte Carlo simulations), support from neuroanatomical tools (positioning of the fNIRS probe by MRI and DTI data of the very same animals), and rigorous protocols (motor task, startling test) for testing the behavioral response of freely moving sheep. Almost no hemodynamic response was found in the extra-cerebral region in both the motor task and the startling test. In the motor task, as expected we found a canonical hemodynamic response in the cerebral region when sheep were walking. In the startling test, the measured hemodynamic response in the cerebral region was mainly from movement. Overall, these results indicate that with the current setup and probe positioning we are primarily measuring the motor area of the sheep brain, and not probing the too deeply located cortical areas related to processing of emotions.
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13
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Bray EE, Gruen ME, Gnanadesikan GE, Horschler DJ, Levy KM, Kennedy BS, Hare BA, MacLean EL. Cognitive characteristics of 8- to 10-week-old assistance dog puppies. Anim Behav 2020; 166:193-206. [PMID: 32719570 PMCID: PMC7384752 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
To characterize the early ontogeny of dog cognition, we tested 168 domestic dog, Canis familiaris, puppies (97 females, 71 males; mean age = 9.2 weeks) in a novel test battery based on previous tasks developed and employed with adolescent and adult dogs. Our sample consisted of Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and Labrador × golden retriever crosses from 65 different litters at Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that breeds, trains and places assistance dogs for people with disabilities. Puppies participated in a 3-day cognitive battery that consisted of 14 tasks measuring different cognitive abilities and temperament traits such as executive function (e.g. inhibitory control, reversal learning, working memory), use of social cues, sensory discriminations and reactivity to and recovery from novel situations. At 8-10 weeks of age, and despite minimal experience with humans, puppies reliably used a variety of cooperative-communicative gestures from humans. Puppies accurately remembered the location of hidden food for delays of up to 20 s, and succeeded in a variety of visual, olfactory and auditory discrimination problems. They also showed some skill at executive function tasks requiring inhibitory control and reversal learning, although they scored lower on these tasks than is typical in adulthood. Taken together, our results confirm the early emergence of sensitivity to human communication in dogs and contextualize these skills within a broad array of other cognitive abilities measured at the same stage of ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Bray
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, U.S.A
| | - Margaret E Gruen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, U.S.A
| | - Gitanjali E Gnanadesikan
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
| | - Daniel J Horschler
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
| | - Kerinne M Levy
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, U.S.A
| | - Brenda S Kennedy
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, U.S.A
| | - Brian A Hare
- Duke Canine Cognition Center, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, U.S.A
| | - Evan L MacLean
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A
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14
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Abstract
In recent years, two well-developed methods of studying mental processes in humans have been successively applied to dogs. First, eye-tracking has been used to study visual cognition without distraction in unrestrained dogs. Second, noninvasive functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used for assessing the brain functions of dogs in vivo. Both methods, however, require dogs to sit, stand, or lie motionless while yet remaining attentive for several minutes, during which time their brain activity and eye movements are measured. Whereas eye-tracking in dogs is performed in a quiet and, apart from the experimental stimuli, nonstimulating and highly controlled environment, MRI scanning can only be performed in a very noisy and spatially restraining MRI scanner, in which dogs need to feel relaxed and stay motionless in order to study their brain and cognition with high precision. Here we describe in detail a training regime that is perfectly suited to train dogs in the required skills, with a high success probability and while keeping to the highest ethical standards of animal welfare-that is, without using aversive training methods or any other compromises to the dog's well-being for both methods. By reporting data from 41 dogs that successfully participated in eye-tracking training and 24 dogs IN fMRI training, we provide robust qualitative and quantitative evidence for the quality and efficiency of our training methods. By documenting and validating our training approach here, we aim to inspire others to use our methods to apply eye-tracking or fMRI for their investigations of canine behavior and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Karl
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Magdalena Boch
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Clever Dog Lab, Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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15
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Fine AH, Beck AM, Ng Z. The State of Animal-Assisted Interventions: Addressing the Contemporary Issues that will Shape the Future. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E3997. [PMID: 31635430 PMCID: PMC6843928 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16203997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As the worldwide popularity of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) increases, the fieldis quickly approaching a paradigm shift, adjusting its image to incorporate more evidence-basedresearch and aligning its purpose for advancing a new future. Contemporary critical issues thatconfront the field today include, but are not limited, to research, animal welfare, practice guidelines,and public policy. This article will provide an overview of the history of AAI and the majormilestones that the field has undergone. The current state of AAI research will be scrutinized, andthe areas that warrant further study will be recommended. Special attention will be given to thecurrent state of animal welfare in AAI, the research that has been done in the area, and practiceguidelines that safeguard animal wellbeing. This article will then discuss how evidence-basedresearch and animal welfare guidelines inform the development of comprehensive professionalstandards and influence changes in public policy regarding AAI. The authors' perceptions for thefield's future trajectory will be presented, which will include solutions to move the field in thedirection that best advances the human-animal bond in research, practice, and public perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey H Fine
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona- Department of Education 3801 W Temple Ave, Pomona, CA 91768, USA.
| | - Alan M Beck
- Center for Human-Animal Bond, College Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Zenithson Ng
- University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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16
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Bogaerts E, Moons CPH, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Peelman L, Saunders JH, Broeckx BJG. Rejections in an non-purpose bred assistance dog population: Reasons, consequences and methods for screening. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218339. [PMID: 31194832 PMCID: PMC6564025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Assistance dogs aid people with various impairments on a daily basis. To become an assistance dog, a strict selection procedure and intensive training period must be successfully completed. Consequently, not every dog acquired for this purpose, becomes an assistance dog. The purpose of this study was to investigate reasons for failure and the financial consequences thereof for assistance dog associations that do not have a dedicated breeding program for their dogs. Data were collected for a total of 537 dogs enlisted between 2001 and 2015 and purchased out of the general dog population by five Belgian assistance dog associations. Only 60 percent of the dogs actually became an assistance dog and the main reasons for failure were related to undesirable behavioural characteristics and orthopaedic disorders. The estimated average financial loss per rejected dog was found to be 10524 euro. A detailed comparison of the two most popular breeds (Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever) within the guide dogs and mobility assistance dogs revealed no significant difference in probability of successfully completing the training. However, a comparison of orthopaedic screening methods revealed a higher rejection with computed tomography for elbow dysplasia and laxity-based radiographical techniques for hip dysplasia compared to radiography and the standard ventrodorsal hip extend radiograph alone, respectively. Based on these results, we provide several suggestions to increase the probability of success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Bogaerts
- Department of Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail: (EB); (BB); (JS)
| | - Christel P. H. Moons
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Filip Van Nieuwerburgh
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Peelman
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Jimmy H. Saunders
- Department of Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail: (EB); (BB); (JS)
| | - Bart J. G. Broeckx
- Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail: (EB); (BB); (JS)
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17
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Bray EE, Levy KM, Kennedy BS, Duffy DL, Serpell JA, MacLean EL. Predictive Models of Assistance Dog Training Outcomes Using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire and a Standardized Temperament Evaluation. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:49. [PMID: 30873418 PMCID: PMC6400848 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Assistance dogs can greatly improve the lives of people with disabilities. However, a large proportion of dogs bred and trained for this purpose are deemed unable to successfully fulfill the behavioral demands of this role. Often, this determination is not finalized until weeks or even months into training, when the dog is close to 2 years old. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop objective selection protocols that can identify dogs most and least likely to succeed, from early in the training process. We assessed the predictive validity of two candidate measures employed by Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), a national assistance dog organization headquartered in Santa Rosa, CA. For more than a decade, CCI has collected data on their population using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) and a standardized temperament assessment known internally as the In-For-Training (IFT) test, which is conducted at the beginning of professional training. Data from both measures were divided into independent training and test datasets, with the training data used for variable selection and cross-validation. We developed three predictive models in which we predicted success or release from the training program using C-BARQ scores (N = 3,569), IFT scores (N = 5,967), and a combination of scores from both instruments (N = 2,990). All three final models performed significantly better than the null expectation when applied to the test data, with overall accuracies ranging from 64 to 68%. Model predictions were most accurate for dogs predicted to have the lowest probability of success (ranging from 85 to 92% accurate for dogs in the lowest 10% of predicted probabilities), and moderately accurate for identifying the dogs most likely to succeed (ranging from 62 to 72% for dogs in the top 10% of predicted probabilities). Combining C-BARQ and IFT predictors into a single model did not improve overall accuracy, although it did improve accuracy for dogs in the lowest 20% of predicted probabilities. Our results suggest that both types of assessments have the potential to be used as powerful screening tools, thereby allowing more efficient allocation of resources in assistance dog selection and training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Bray
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, United States
| | - Kerinne M Levy
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, United States
| | - Brenda S Kennedy
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, United States
| | - Deborah L Duffy
- Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - James A Serpell
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Evan L MacLean
- Arizona Canine Cognition Center, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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18
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MacLean EL, Hare B. Enhanced Selection of Assistance and Explosive Detection Dogs Using Cognitive Measures. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:236. [PMID: 30338264 PMCID: PMC6180148 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Working dogs play a variety of important roles, ranging from assisting individuals with disabilities, to explosive and medical detection work. Despite widespread demand, only a subset of dogs bred and trained for these roles ultimately succeed, creating a need for objective measures that can predict working dog aptitude. Most previous research has focused on temperamental characteristics of successful dogs. However, working dogs also face diverse cognitive challenges both in training, and throughout their working lives. We conducted a series of studies investigating the relationships between individual differences in dog cognition, and success as an assistance or detection dog. Assistance dogs (N = 164) and detection dogs (N = 222) were tested in the Dog Cognition Test Battery, a 25-item instrument probing diverse aspects of dog cognition. Through exploratory analyses we identified a subset of tasks associated with success in each training program, and developed shorter test batteries including only these measures. We then used predictive modeling in a prospective study with an independent sample of assistance dogs (N = 180), and conducted a replication study with an independent sample of detection dogs (N = 90). In assistance dogs, models using data on individual differences in cognition predicted higher probabilities of success for dogs that ultimately succeeded in the program, than for those who did not. For the subset of dogs with predicted probabilities of success in the 4th quartile (highest predicted probability of success), model predictions were 86% accurate, on average. In both the exploratory and prospective studies, successful dogs were more likely to engage in eye contact with a human experimenter when faced with an unsolvable task, or when a joint social activity was disrupted. In detection dogs, we replicated our exploratory findings that the most successful dogs scored higher on measures of sensitivity to human communicative intentions, and two measures of short term memory. These findings suggest that that (1) individual differences in cognition contribute to variance in working dog success, and (2) that objective measures of dog cognition can be used to improve the processes through which working dogs are evaluated and selected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan L MacLean
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Brian Hare
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.,Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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19
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Prichard A, Chhibber R, Athanassiades K, Spivak M, Berns GS. Fast neural learning in dogs: A multimodal sensory fMRI study. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14614. [PMID: 30279481 PMCID: PMC6168449 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dogs may follow their nose, but they learn associations to many types of sensory stimuli. Are some modalities learned better than others? We used awake fMRI in 19 dogs over a series of three experiments to measure reward-related learning of visual, olfactory, and verbal stimuli. Neurobiological learning curves were generated for individual dogs by measuring activation over time within three regions of interest: the caudate nucleus, amygdala, and parietotemporal cortex. The learning curves showed that dogs formed stimulus-reward associations in as little as 22 trials. Consistent with neuroimaging studies of associative learning, the caudate showed a main effect for reward-related stimuli, but not a significant interaction with modality. However, there were significant differences in the time courses, suggesting that although multiple modalities are represented in the caudate, the rates of acquisition and habituation are modality-dependent and are potentially gated by their salience in the amygdala. Visual and olfactory modalities resulted in the fastest learning, while verbal stimuli were least effective, suggesting that verbal commands may be the least efficient way to train dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Prichard
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Raveena Chhibber
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Mark Spivak
- Comprehensive Pet Therapy, Atlanta, GA, 30328, USA
| | - Gregory S Berns
- Psychology Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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20
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Berns GS, Spivak M, Nemanic S, Northrup N. Clinical Findings in Dogs Trained for Awake-MRI. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:209. [PMID: 30234135 PMCID: PMC6127269 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Training dogs for awake-MRI began in 2012 for the study of canine cognition. Although originally envisioned as a research technique to understand the neural mechanisms of canine cognitive function, its potential as a new diagnostic clinical tool has become apparent. A high-quality structural scan of the brain can be acquired without sedation or anesthesia in as little as 30 s in a well-trained dog. This has opened the possibility of longitudinal imaging of CNS disease with MRI both as a means of monitoring treatment and potentially as a surveillance tool for inflammatory and neoplastic brain diseases in high-risk breeds. This same training can be used to image other body regions, such as the abdomen, enabling clinicians to screen for abdominal disease using cross sectional imaging without the need for anesthesia and without exposing the patient to ionizing radiation. We present four examples of dogs trained for awake-MRI who developed: (1) nasal carcinoma; (2) brain tumor; (3) abdominal lipoma; (4) idiopathic epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S Berns
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Mark Spivak
- Dog Star Technologies, Sandy Springs, GA, United States
| | - Sarah Nemanic
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Nicole Northrup
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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21
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Spotlight on Assistance Dogs-Legislation, Welfare and Research. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:ani8080129. [PMID: 30049995 PMCID: PMC6115927 DOI: 10.3390/ani8080129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Assistance dogs support humans with a variety of disabilities. Although guide dogs in particular have a long tradition in Western cultures, the legal situation around assistance dogs has been insufficiently developed in many countries so far—a situation that potentially negatively affects both animal and owner. There is also an insufficient amount of research examining assistance dogs in other areas. Studies investigating assistance dogs’ welfare status, cognitive and behavioural capacities, selection criteria for the best fitting individuals, effective training and management practices, and genetic issues, are so far mainly lacking. This review takes a comprehensive approach—it initially outlines important aspects of the current legal situation for assistance dogs in the European Union and Australia, and then it summarizes research findings focusing on dogs’ welfare, cognition, behaviour, health and training. For each of these areas, the need for future development is highlighted and potential ideas for future directions are discussed. Abstract Assistance dogs are a very diverse group of working dogs that are trained to assist humans with different types of disabilities in their daily lives. Despite these dogs’ value for humankind, research on their welfare status, cognitive and behavioural capacities, selection criteria for the best fitting individuals, effective training and management practices, and genetic issues are so far lacking. This review highlights the need to address these topics and to promote progress in legal issues around assistance dogs. The topic of assistance dogs is approached comprehensively by outlining the current status of knowledge in three different dimensions: (1) the legal dimension, outlining important legal issues in the EU and Australia; (2) the welfare dimension; and (3) the dimension of research, covering assistance dog selection and training. For each of these three dimensions, we discuss potential approaches that can be implemented in the future in order to support assistance dog working performance, to protect the dogs’ welfare, and to improve our knowledge about them. Additionally, there remain many legal issues, such as the presence of assistance dogs in public areas, the resolution of which would benefit both the assistance dog and the owner with disability.
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22
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Lazarowski L, Haney PS, Brock J, Fischer T, Rogers B, Angle C, Katz JS, Waggoner LP. Investigation of the Behavioral Characteristics of Dogs Purpose-Bred and Prepared to Perform Vapor Wake® Detection of Person-Borne Explosives. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:50. [PMID: 29616229 PMCID: PMC5869930 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Specialized detector dogs are increasingly being utilized for the detection of modern threats. The Vapor Wake® (VW) dog was developed to create a dog phenotype ideally suited for detecting hand-carried and body-worn explosives. VW dogs (VWDs) are trained to sample and alert to target odors in the aerodynamic wakes of moving persons, which entrains vapor and small particles from the person. The behavioral characteristics necessary for dogs to be successfully trained and employed for the application of VW are a distinct subset of the desired general characteristics of dogs used for detection tasks due to the dynamic nature of moving targets. The purpose of this study was to examine the behavioral characteristics of candidate detector dogs to determine the particular qualities that set apart VW-capable dogs from others. We assessed 146 candidate detector dogs from a VW breeding and training program. Dogs received identical puppy development and foundational odor training and underwent performance evaluations at 3, 6, 10, and 12 months old, after which they were sold for service. Dogs were categorized based on their final outcome of the training program, independently determined by private vendors, corresponding to three groups: dogs successfully sold for VW, dogs sold for standard explosives detection, and dogs that failed to be placed in any type of detector dog service (Washouts). Comparisons of behavioral evaluations between the groups were made across domains pertaining to search-related behaviors (Performance), reactions to novel stimuli (Environmental), and overall ease of learning new tasks (Trainability). Comparisons were also made at each evaluation to determine any early emergence of differences. VWDs scored significantly higher on Performance characteristics compared to standard explosives detection dogs (EDDs) and Washouts. However, Environmental characteristics did not differentiate VWDs from EDDs, though scores on these measures were significantly lower in the Washouts. Furthermore, differences between groups emerged as early as 3 and 6 months for select measures. We describe the behavioral characteristics targeted for selection in developing the VW phenotype and discuss the relative merit and degree of expression of those characteristics in the success of dogs bred and trained for the VW application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Lazarowski
- Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States.,Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Pamela Sue Haney
- Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Jeanne Brock
- Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Terry Fischer
- Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Bart Rogers
- Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Craig Angle
- Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Jeffrey S Katz
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - L Paul Waggoner
- Canine Performance Sciences Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
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