Using Live and Video Stimuli to Localize Face and Object Processing Regions of the Canine Brain

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Comparative Cognition
• Visual Processing

Background:

• Previous studies on canine brain face areas used static images or videos, questioning their naturalistic relevance for dogs.
• Dogs' natural interaction with 2D images is limited, raising doubts about their perception of these as representations of reality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the brain's response to live versus video stimuli in dogs and humans.
• To determine the equivalency of live and 2D visual stimuli in mapping brain regions related to face and object perception.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed in both canine (n=7) and human (n=5) participants.
• Participants were presented with alternating 20-second blocks of live actors/objects and videos of the same stimuli in a randomized order.

Main Results:

• Both live and video stimuli activated the putative dog face area and human fusiform face area, as well as the posterior superior temporal sulcus and lateral occipital complex in both species.
• The ectosylvian fissure in dogs showed greater activation to live faces than video faces.
• In humans, the fusiform face area and posterior superior temporal sulcus responded more strongly to live stimuli compared to video stimuli.

Conclusions:

• Videos are sufficient for localizing key visual processing regions in both dogs and humans.
• Live stimuli may offer greater salience, potentially eliciting stronger neural responses in certain brain areas.