Study Finds , Petting a Dog , Boosts Brain Activity.<br />CNN reports that a recent study <br />took a look at the impact that <br />petting a dog has on our brains.<br />According to scientists at the University <br />of Basel in Switzerland, petting a dog <br />supercharges our brains. .<br />Specifically, it activates our frontal cortex, <br />the part of the brain which oversees <br />how we think and feel.<br />Study lead author Rahel Marti, a doctoral student <br />at the University of Basel, says the findings <br />further prove the cognitive and emotional <br />benefits of human-animal therapy.<br />If patients with deficits in motivation, <br />attention and socioemotional functioning <br />show higher emotional involvement in <br />activities connected to a dog, then such <br />activities could increase the chance of <br />learning and of achieving therapeutic aims, Rahel Marti, study lead author, via CNN.<br />CNN reports that the study backs up research suggesting <br />that animal-assisted therapy can have a huge impact <br />on rehabilitation for nervous system conditions.<br />The study reportedly found a stronger boost <br />of brain activity when a person petted <br />real fur as opposed to a stuffed animal.<br />We found that brain activity increased <br />when the contact with the dog or a plush <br />animal became closer. This confirms <br />previous studies linking closer contact <br />with animals or control stimuli <br />with increased brain activation, Rahel Marti, study lead author, via CNN.<br />We think emotional involvement might be <br />a central underlying mechanism of brain <br />activation in human-animal interactions, Rahel Marti, study lead author, via CNN.<br />The study was published <br />on October 12 in the journal <br />'PLOS ONE.'
