Study Reveals Human-Dog Brain Synchronization and Potential Autism Treatment

Research shows that mutual interactions enhance brain activity coupling between humans and dogs, with LSD potentially reversing social impairments in dogs with autism-like traits.

Human and dog brain activity synchronizes during social interactions, particularly through mutual gazing and petting.
The synchronization in brain activity strengthens with increased familiarity over a five-day period.
Dogs with genetic mutations linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show a loss of this brain synchronization and reduced attention during interactions.
A single dose of LSD restored brain synchronization and attention in dogs with ASD-like traits.
These findings suggest that disrupted brain synchronization could serve as a biomarker for autism and that LSD or its derivatives might help alleviate social symptoms in ASD.