Identified in the dogs genes that make them look human contact, which, surprisingly, are related to disorders such as autism or schizophrenia in people.
Dogs have accompanied man since at least 15,000 years ago when they emerged from the most gentle, curious or interested wolves approaching the settlements of our ancestors. Since then, they have been part of the human family and they develop social skills that allow them to communicate and cooperate with us like no other species is capable. For example, they form emotional bonds with their owners, are sensitive to our gestures and is known to recognize our emotions in facial expressions. Also, they try to communicate with people, seeking their care or addressing them when they need help solving a problem.
But where does all this sociability? Is it something innate or acquired during education animal? Researchers believe that all these social skills have a genetic basis, as even the puppies are able to read human communicative signals while wolves can not, even if they are accustomed to the presence of man.
Now a team at the University of Linköping in Sweden has identified five genes related to social skills of our best friends and is, surprisingly, that in humans some of them are linked to behavioral disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia or aggression in adolescents with attention deficit disorder.
The genes key
Then the genomes of 190 beagles were analyzed in what is called a study of genome – wide association (GWAS) and researchers identified two regions containing a total of five genes candidates that may be related to these social behaviors.For example, a genetic marker within the gene SEZ6L has to do with the time spent in physical contact with beings human , while two other ARVCF gene markers were linked to the search for human contact. Interestingly, these genes and others found in the same blocks linking affect social skills in humans, and are related to autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia or aggression.
