Dogs and Humans: The Same Brain Region for Processing Numbers

According to a news report

According to the study, dogs and humans process numerical quantities in a similar brain region. The results suggest a common neural mechanism that is conserved among mammals.

The Dog Project studies evolutionary questions related to man’s best friend. In this context, researchers at Emory University in the United States used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the brains of dogs as they observed a varying number of dots flashing on a screen. The results show that the dog’s parietal-temporal cortex, like that of humans, responds to differences in the number of dots.

Researchers have thus demonstrated for the first time that dogs can understand numerical quantities spontaneously, without being trained. Dogs are therefore able to quickly estimate the number of approaching predators or the amount of food available.

Understanding the neural mechanisms involved provides insight into both the evolution of our brain over time and its current functioning. Dogs and humans are separated by 80 million years, and this study provides strong evidence of a shared neural basis

to enable counting that dates back at least that far. But unlike dogs and other animals, humans are able to build on this basic numerical quantification to perform more complex calculations using the prefrontal cortex.

This information could lead to practical applications such as the treatment of brain disorders and the improvement of artificial intelligence systems.