Spoken language conveys meaning in two ways: the meaning of the words (semantics or lexical knowledge) and the intonation that the speaker uses. We can sense questions by the rising pitch at the end of the sentence. Likewise, we can tell if someone is upset or being sarcastic based on how they say the words. … Continue reading Human language in dog brains
Isolation and drug addiction
We all know that adverse, early life experiences can affect normal development and the ability to lead a happy and healthy adult life. A number of recent studies have shown that rodents which are mistreated as pups have long lasting changes to their gene expression (i.e. epigenetics). They are more anxious and have a harder … Continue reading Isolation and drug addiction
