Trends in Neurosciences
ReviewCanis familiaris As a Model for Non-Invasive Comparative Neuroscience
Section snippets
Animal Models in Comparative Neuroscience
Animal model research is grounded in the idea that animals share behavioral, physiological, and other characteristics with humans. One benefit of such research is increased understanding of phenomena that cannot be directly studied in humans or without cross-species comparison. Neuroscience research into sociocognition has been extended from traditional primate and rodent models to the domestic dog – an alternative and complementary model that permits non-invasive measurement of behavior and
Animal Models for Comparative Cognitive Neuroscience
A goal of comparative research is to establish principles of proximate and ultimate causation (see Glossary) via between-species comparisons and the study of individual organisms. Primary animal models for comparative cognitive science include avian 3, 4, 5, rodent, and primate species [2]. The advantages of rodents include feasibility of handling the animals under laboratory conditions, cost-efficiency, and utility in preclinical and clinical studies [6]. The advantages of primates include
Differences in Skull Formation and Brain Anatomy
The extent of variation in skull formation and brain size is relatively minor among humans: the average female brain volume is 90% that of the male [14], and the average brain volume of a child aged 7–11 years is 95% of the volume of a sex-matched adult [15]. Conversely, there are large differences between dogs in skull shape and size, as well as in brain anatomy. Canine skull length ranges from 7 to 28 cm [16] (i.e., the shortest dog skull is 25% of the longest), making Canis familiaris the
Within-Species Differences in Skull Formation and Brain Anatomy
These within-species variabilities (Figure 1) are relevant for normalization. In fMRI research, the advantages of normalization are that when a set of coordinates is referenced the location to which those coordinates correspond is known, and the results can be generalized to a larger population, compared across studies, and averaged across subjects for group-level analyses. The disadvantages are that it reduces spatial resolution and increases probability of errors in the identification of
Between-Species Differences in Skull Formation, Brain Anatomy, and Physiology
Although further research is needed concerning the degree to which the anatomical structures and circuits of dogs correspond to those of humans, the knowledge that is available is encouraging. There is evidence for correspondence between the species in, for example, primary sensory areas and associated functions [33]. Nevertheless, it is largely unknown whether other areas, especially the frontal and prefrontal cortex, are similarly organized – notably with regard to subdivisions – in a manner
Ethics and Safety
As noted, a main advantage of dogs is that, because they are domestic animals, they can be tested without any need for laboratory breeding, raising, and maintenance. As such, a focus on family dogs makes the dog model ethically permissible. Nevertheless, as aptly discussed by others [1], care should be exercised that no harm is caused, for example that scanner noise and high sound pressure levels do not lead to discomfort and hearing damage, or that RF specific absorption rates (SAR) do not
Concluding Remarks
There has been a notable recent increase in canine neuroscience studies, necessitating the establishment of methodological guidelines and standardization to inform the next generation of studies in this area. We have discussed the foremost questions related to methodology and experimental design in the canine neuroscience literature. As a result, we were able to identify crucial areas for further empirical inquiry. Capitalizing on advantages of the dog as a research model, such as its
Acknowledgments
During the preparation of this article, N.B. and M.G. were supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (grant 115862 K); A.A., A.M., and M.G. were supported by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (grant F01/031); A.A. was additionally supported by a Hungarian Academy of Sciences Bolyai Scholarship and by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (grant OTKA PD116181); and A.K. was supported by Nestlé Purina and the BIAL Foundation (grant 169/16). We thank Árpád Dobolyi and
Glossary
- Basilar axis
- the axis corresponding to the base of the skull.
- Brachycephalic
- short-skulled
- Calvaria
- the bone that covers the cranial cavity containing the brain, in other words the skullcap.
- Continuous electroencephalography (EEG)
- continuous measurement of electrocortical signal, in other words not a measurement of change in the signal in response to a stimulus.
- Cribriform plate
- a structure that forms the caudal boundary of the nasal cavity.
- Dolichocephalic
- long-skulled.
- Event-related potential (ERP)
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