Interacting with dogs may affect multiple areas of the brain, study finds
If you decompress by playing with dogs or checking their adorable videos on social media, you might be onto something.
Multiple studies have shown the emotional, physiological and cognitive benefits of interactions with animals, especially dogs — such as boosted energy, increased positive emotions or lowered risk for memory loss. That’s why animal-assisted health interventions are being increasingly used in diverse fields, the study authors said.
Interacting with dogs in such ways may strengthen people’s brain waves associated with rest and relaxation, as measured by brain tests, according to a small study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.
Playing with your dog may not just be good for your pet — it could also benefit your emotional health, according to a new study.
Previous studies often took “a holistic approach, comparing people’s mood or hormone levels before and after spending time with a dog,” said Onyoo Yoo, a doctoral student in the department of bio and healing convergence at Konkuk University’s graduate school in Seoul.
The study involved 30 healthy adults who were around age 28 on average and had been recruited from pet salons and a dog grooming school in Seongnam, South Korea, between May and June 2022.
Each participant did eight activities with a 4-year-old, well-trained, female standard poodle owned by the study’s lead author. The activities included meeting, playing, feeding, massaging, grooming, photographing, hugging and walking the dog.
Before activities began, participants sat and stared at the wall for three minutes to minimize any stimulation that could taint the results. The authors measured participants’ brain waves, using electroencephalogram tests, or EEGs, for three minutes during each activity.
An EEG is a non-invasive test that measures electrical activity in the brain using small metal discs called electrodes, which are attached to the scalp. These tests provide “quick and accurate insights into unconscious processes that self-disclosure may not uncover,” Yoo said.
After each task, the authors gave participants a couple of minutes to answer questionnaires on their emotional states. The whole process took around an hour.
Different activities had varying effects on participants’ brain waves. Playing and walking with a dog increased the strength of the alpha-band oscillations, the authors found, which generally indicate stability and relaxation. Alpha wave activity has been linked with improved memory and reduced mental stress, according to the study.
Grooming, playing and gently massaging the dog was linked with strengthened beta-band oscillation, which is associated with heightened attention and concentration. Participants also felt significantly less depressed, stressed and fatigued after interacting with the dogs.
Interacting with dogs may affect multiple areas of the brain, study finds.