Biology subjects

Czeibert, K.

Publications and source records attributed to Czeibert, K..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Brain size reduction in dogs was already established at least by the Late Neolithic of western Europe, 5,000 years ago

The timing and causes of brain size reduction in domestic dogs remain uncertain. Using endocasts volume as a proxy for brain size, this study provides a first insight into long-term brain size evolution in the wolf-dog lineage. We compared endocranial volumes of 185 modern and 22 prehistoric wolves and dogs ranging from Western Europe to Australia, and spanning the Pleniglacial (35 Ky BP) to the Late Neolithic (5 Ky BP). Our results reveal that Pleistocene so called "protodogs" show no brain size reduction compared to coeval Pleistocene wolves. Instead, we observed a slightly larger relative endocranial volume in the 35,000-year-old protodog from Goyet, which could suggest increased behavioural flexibility in the presence of humans. This hypothesis needs to be tested further. In contrast, Late Neolithic dogs show a drastic 46% brain size reduction with an endocranial volumes comparable to modern small terrier and toy breeds. The anxious and wary temperaments of these Late Neolithic dogs, induced by the brain tissue reorganization associated with such a size reduction, could have served an alerting purpose, among the many other potential roles dogs could have played within this Late Neolithic socio-ecosystems.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2018

Resting-state fMRI data of awake dogs (Canis familiaris) via group-level independent component analysis reveal multiple, spatially distributed resting-state networks

Resting-state networks are spatially distributed, functionally connected brain regions. Studying these networks gives us information about the large-scale functional organization of the brain and alternations in these networks are considered to play a role in a wide range of neurological conditions and aging. To describe resting-state networks in dogs, we measured 22 awake, unrestrained animals of either sex and carried out group-level spatial independent component analysis to explore whole-brain connectivity patterns. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), in this exploratory study we found multiple resting-state networks in dogs, which resemble the pattern described in humans. We report the following dog resting-state networks: default mode network (DMN), visual network (VIS), sensorimotor network (SMN), combined auditory (AUD)-saliency (SAL) network and cerebellar network (CER). The DMN, similarly to Primates, but unlike previous studies in dogs, showed antero-posterior connectedness with involvement of hippocampal and lateral temporal regions. The results give us insight into the resting-state networks of awake animals from a taxon beyond rodents through a non-invasive method.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2018

Sulci of the canine brain: a review of terminology

Over the last decades there have been several publications of anatomical and neurological textbooks, which include descriptions about the dogs brain. However, the terminology used is inconsistent, partly due to individual differences in neocortical gyration and partly due to the common practice of adapting terms from human and murine anatomy. In order to identify such incongruences, in Study 1, we reviewed the existing literature and identified the common terms used as well as any discrepancies between textbooks. Three main forms of inconsistencies were found; a) the use of terms that are not included in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria (NAV), b) the inclusion of structures that are listed as not canine-specific, and c) the use of similar names to identify potentially different anatomical structures. To address these issues, in Study 2 we investigated the consistency in appearance of the cerebral sulci, performing a macroscopical examination on 79 canine brains obtained through the Canine Brain and Tissue Bank (CBTB). We then evaluated whether sulci on the frontal regions of brachycephalic breeds differed from those of mesocephalic and dolichocephalic groups, as frontal and olfactory regions are subjected to the most extreme modifications following the shortening of the skull. The statistical analysis showed no difference across the skull length types regarding the occurrence of these sulci, although furrows on the lateral side of the brain proved to be more stable than those on the medial side. In Study 3, we summarized the findings in accordance with the NAV to produce a definitive index of the terms that we recommend be used for each identified sulci. Such an index is beneficial for educational, clinical use, and research (e.g. neuroscience) purposes. The dog is emerging as a pioneering and exceptional model in comparative neuroscience, and therefore the implications for canine neuroscience research should not be underestimated.

neuroscience↗