We examined 22 dogs in the MRI-Scanner while stimulating them with a back scratcher along the left and right side of the back. In addition to the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex, which have already been described many decades ago by invasive research, we have now been able to identify other areas that process touch. In particular, the cingulate gyrus and the sylvian gyrus show activation by touch. This could be due to affective and social processing of the stimulus.

Guran, C-N. A., Boch, M., Sladky, R., Lonardo, L., Karl, S., Huber, L., & Lamm, C. (2024). Functional mapping of the somatosensory cortex using noninvasive fMRI and touch in awake dogs. Brain Structure and Function. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-024-02798-0