Human Induced Rotation And Reorganization Of The Brain Of Domestic Dog

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Breeding Is Changing Dog Brains, Scientists Find

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/...00802091205.htm

Some highlights..

'The brains of many short-snouted dog breeds have rotated forward as much as 15 degrees, while the brain region controlling smell has fundamentally relocated, researchers from the University of New South Wales and University of Sydney have found.' (McGreevy)

"As a dog's head or skull shape becomes flatter -- more pug-like -- the brain rotates forward and the smell centre of the brain drifts further down to the lowest position in the skull," Dr Valenzuela said.

Health impacts from breed specific disorders -- such as pug encephalitis and hip problems in German shepherds -- are well documented; however, until now little had been known about the effects of human intervention on dogs' brains.

"The next obvious step is to try to find out if these changes in brain organisation are also linked to systematic differences in dogs' brain function," Dr Valenzuela said.

Actual Paper

Human Induced Rotation and Reorganization of the Brain of Domestic Dogs

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%...al.pone.0011946