2022/06/09 by Akiko Tonoike, Ken-ichi Otaki, Go Terauchi +7 · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Veterinary · Psychology · #Human-Animal Interaction Studies #Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies #Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-11130-x
openalex publication_date 2022/06/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The dog (Canis familiaris) was the first domesticated animal and hundreds of breeds exist today. During domestication, dogs experienced strong selection for temperament, behaviour, and cognitive ability. However, the genetic basis of these abilities is not well-understood. We focused on ancient dog breeds to investigate breed-related differences in social cognitive abilities. In a problem-solving task, ancient breeds showed a lower tendency to look back at humans than other European breeds. In a two-way object choice task, they showed no differences in correct response rate or ability to read human communicative gestures. We examined gene polymorphisms in oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, melanocortin 2 receptor, and a Williams-Beuren syndrome-related gene (WBSCR17), as candidate genes of dog domestication. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms on melanocortin 2 receptor were related to both tasks, while other polymorphisms were associated with the unsolvable task. This indicates that glucocorticoid functions are involved in the cognitive skills acquired during dog domestication.