Dog illustration. (Pixabay / huoadg5888)
Hitekno.com – In humans, fatigue associated with several physiological changes, including increased heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and the release of adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream.
In order to she studies“stress” is defined as a physiological and psychological response to a difficult situation.
Reported by Sputnik Newsthe United States formed dog identify human health conditions over time.
Now, a new study confirms that even dogs can smell subtle changes in human biology with surprising accuracy. This research proves useful in training therapy dogsaid par scientist.
Scientists have learned that long-term cortisol levels in dogs reflect their owners’ cortisol levels through a process called “emotional contagion,” which is a phenomenon that describes the process by which emotional states between individuals are mirrored. regardless of exercise (which can lead to cortisol spikes).
The researchers wanted to know how, exactly, dogs detect their owners’ stress levels and whether the indicators go beyond the visual aspect.
Scientists from Queen’s University Belfast conducted the first such study by comparing basic biological samples with biological samples from 36 people under experimentally induced stress.
The researchers collected sweat and breath samples from participants before and after they were given a difficult math problem to solve. Then, they selected a sample of individuals whose heart rate and blood pressure increased during troubleshooting, indicating stress.
The “stressed” sample and the “relaxed” sample were then arranged in rows where the dog was taught how to identify the correct sample.
“The findings suggest that we, as humans, produce different smells through sweat and breath when we are stressed and dogs can distinguish them from our scent when they are relaxed, even if it’s someone they don’t know,” said Clara Wilson, a PhD student. at Queen’s University Belfast School of Psychology, in a statement.
The study also shows that dogs, unlike humans, don’t need to rely on visual or audio cues to pay attention when someone is stressed.
The researchers say the findings “will help shed more light on the human-dog relationship and add to our understanding of how dogs can interpret and interact with human psychological states.”
The study also drew attention to how much more dogs rely on their noses to “see” the world around them.
Helen Parker, owner of Treo, one of the dogs participating in the study, said she noticed that Treo was more attuned to the emotional barometer at her home after participating in the study.
“This study has made us more aware of dogs’ ability to use their noses to ‘see’ the world. We believe this research really develops Treo’s ability to sense emotional changes in the home. This study reinforces for us that dogs are highly sensitive animals. and intuitive and there is great value in using what they do best: sniffing! “
The research team hopes these findings will contribute to guide dog training and the emotional support assigned to respond to acute stress in their owners.
More studies are needed, they say, to detect the time frame in which odors can be detected.
The research was published in the journal PLOS One.
