CAN DOGS LOVE? Brain Scans Reveal What Dogs Really Think of Us

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Well to answer this question I guess we need to start by defining love.  If we look at iT as never ending forgiveness,  complete loyalty,   Always wanting to be with you,  Doing any thing for you is a given,
A look in  the eye tells it all.  There to cheer you up when your sad.   Some how knows when you don't feel good.   Always so happy to see you when you have been apart.  

 If you say yes to the above,   I would say dogs can and do love!!!  

      


The most direct dog brain-based evidence that they are hopelessly devoted to humans comes from a recentneuroimaging study about odor processing in the dog brain.   Animal cognition scientists at Emory University trained dogs to lie still in an MRI machine and used fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to measure their neural responses to the smell of people and dogs, both familiar and unknown. Because dogs navigate the world through their noses, the way they process smell offers a lot of potential insight into social behavior.

The scientists found that dog owners' aroma actually sparked activation in the "reward center" of their brains, called the caudate nucleus. Of all the wafting smells to take in, dogs actually prioritized the hint of humans over anything or anyone else.Among other surprising findings, the study revealed marked similarities in the way dog and human brains process emotionally laden vocal sounds. Researchers found that happy sounds in particular light up the auditory cortex in both species. This commonality speaks to the uniquely strong communication system underlying the dog-human bond 

Among other surprising findings, the study revealed marked similarities in the way dog and human brains process emotionally laden vocal sounds. Researchers found that happy sounds in particular light up the auditory cortex in both species. This commonality speaks to the uniquely strong communication system underlying the dog-human bond.