This just in: puppies combat stress.
While not news to dog owners, research says looking at and petting a pup can help increase neurons in the prefrontal cortex – the emotion regulating part of the brain, according to a new study.
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Scientists in the study, , say finding out more about how dogs help people deal with depression and anxiety could lead to better treatments and clinical therapy involving animals.
Researchers found the puppy positivity effect remained with humans even after the dogs were gone but was reduced when stuffed animals replaced the live ones.
“The present study demonstrates prefrontal brain activity in healthy subjects increased with a rise in interactional closeness with a dog or a stuffed animal, but especially in contact with the dog the activation is stronger,” the study’s lead author, Rahel Marti of the University of Basel, Switzerland, told British news service SWNS.
“This indicates that interactions with a dog might activate more attentional processes and elicit stronger emotional arousal than comparable non-living stimuli.”
