Playing with dogs helps people concentrate and relax, brain recordings show

Interacting and playing with a dog helped people relax and concentrate, according to measurements of their brainwaves documented in a new study.

Plenty of research has investigated the bond between humans and dogs, demonstrating that canine companions can improve people’s moods, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Just looking dogs in the eye may even boost levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with feelings of love and trust. 

But few past studies have pinpointed what happens in people’s brains when they interact with a furry friend.

A study published Wednesday did exactly that: Researchers in South Korea attached headsets of electrodes to 30 adults, then measured changes in their brainwaves as they interacted with a poodle named Aro. The results indicated that walking the dog made the participants feel more relaxed, brushing her improved concentration, and playing with her yielded both of these effects. 

“Previous studies of the potential benefits of animal interactions often take a holistic approach, comparing people’s mood or hormone levels before and after spending time with a dog,” Onyoo Yoo, the study’s author and a researcher at Konkuk University in South Korea, said in an email.

“It is a significant finding that engaging in certain activities with dogs can increase specific brain activity,” Yoo added. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/dogs-help-people-concentrate-relax-brain-study-rcna142973

---