Social evolution. Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds.

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APE

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Publication Type: Journal Article

Authors: Nagasawa, Miho; Mitsui, Shouhei; En, Shiori; Ohtani, Nobuyo; Ohta, Mitsuaki; Sakuma, Yasuo; Onaka, Tatsushi; Mogi, Kazutaka; Kikusui, Takefumi

Year of Publication: 2015

Journal: Science

Volume: 348

Issue: 6232

Pagination: 333-6

Date Published: 2015 Apr 17

Publication Language: eng

ISSN: 1095-9203

Keywords: Animals, Animals, Domestic, Biological Evolution, Bonding, Human-Pet, Communication, Dogs, Female, Fixation, Ocular, Humans, Oxytocin, Wolves

Abstract:

Human-like modes of communication, including mutual gaze, in dogs may have been acquired during domestication with humans. We show that gazing behavior from dogs, but not wolves, increased urinary oxytocin concentrations in owners, which consequently facilitated owners' affiliation and increased oxytocin concentration in dogs. Further, nasally administered oxytocin increased gazing behavior in dogs, which in turn increased urinary oxytocin concentrations in owners. These findings support the existence of an interspecies oxytocin-mediated positive loop facilitated and modulated by gazing, which may have supported the coevolution of human-dog bonding by engaging common modes of communicating social attachment.

Notes:

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/348/6232/333.full

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25883356

DOI: 10.1126/science.1261022

Custom 1:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25883356?dopt=Abstract

Alternate Journal: Science

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