Dog Brain Atlas Offers Clues to Mammalian Evolution

A new canine brain atlas has been developed to study brain activity in dogs through fMRI, revealing the critical role of the cingulate cortex and the lateral frontal lobes in problem-solving and task-switching. The study offers potential in understanding conditions related to brain area communication and integration, including aging, anxiety, and psychiatric disorders. The research also sheds light on the evolution of the human brain, suggesting that during mammalian brain evolution, the role of the cingulate cortex was partly taken over by frontoparietal regions.