Thrifty Banker
  • Politics
  • Business
  • World
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Business
  • World
  • Investing

Thrifty Banker

World

French bulldogs’ cute face shape is stopping them getting a good night’s sleep, study shows

by December 16, 2023
December 16, 2023
French bulldogs’ cute face shape is stopping them getting a good night’s sleep, study shows

Flat-faced dogs are all the rage – and have been for a while. With its wrinkly nose and bat-like ears, the French bulldog – which recently climbed to take the title of the most popular dog breed in the US, according to the American Kennel Club’s 2022 registration statistics – is beloved of celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Megan Thee Stallion.

But while they are cute, some of these animals’ distinctive facial features could be affecting their sleep, researchers say.

Researchers from Hungary’s Eötvös Loránd University used electroencephalogram tests (EEGs) to study the sleep of 92 dogs, attaching electrodes to their heads for three hours to record their brain activity and investigate whether flat-faced dogs suffered from poorer sleep quality than long-nosed breeds.

Because of their narrow nostrils and smaller airways, flat-faced dogs are prone to breathing difficulties. Some veterinarians warn against buying these dogs, which have been bred to exhibit such characteristics.

“We found that the flat-faced dogs slept more in the three hours given to them during the study. More daytime sleep is probably compensation for insufficient sleep at night. But, when we studied the EEG patterns, we got more exciting results than that,” researcher Zsófia Bognár said in a statement.

The researchers took note of what happened during the dogs’ REM sleep, explaining that an abundance of beta and delta brain waves during REM sleep is generally associated with learning success in dogs and intelligence in humans.

The shorter-nosed – or brachycephalic – dogs had decreased beta waves and increased delta than their longer-nosed peers, and more frequent sleep spindles – bursts of coherent brain activity visible on the EEG – researchers observed.

“This pattern has previously been associated with poorer learning in dogs and loss of white matter in humans,” said Ivaylo Iotchev, first author of the study published in the journal Brain Structure and Function.

Experts added that the shorter-nosed dogs spent more time sleeping, “suggesting that the sleep apnea these breeds usually suffer from increases daytime sleepiness.”

The researchers said it is likely that the popularity of shorter-nosed dogs is down to their “infant-like traits,” including large eyes and heads, high foreheads and small noses, adding “we humans find these traits irresistibly attractive. That’s how babies get us to care for them.”

“It is possible that the selection of dogs to be infant-like in appearance has also infantilized their brain function,” researcher Enikő Kubinyi, professor and head of the MTA-ELTE Lendület “Momentum” Companion Animal Research Group and ELTE NAP Canine Brain Research Group, said in a statement.

“But this is a bold assumption for now. What is very likely, however, is that breeding for brachycephalic heads leads to potentially harmful changes in brain function.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Palestinian boys and men detained without charge by Israeli military describe 5 days of alleged abuse
next post
5 Top Weekly TSXV Stocks: Bayhorse Silver Surges 63 Percent

Related Posts

One of Saturn’s smallest moons has a secret...

February 8, 2024

Kenya’s hard won gains against malaria threatened by...

September 10, 2023

Ukraine says it has disabled a third of...

February 15, 2024

Dutch PM Rutte to become next NATO secretary-general

June 26, 2024

How Asake developed a boundary-pushing sound that’s changing...

September 22, 2023

Climate summit host UAE planned to use the...

November 28, 2023

“Black boxes” from crashed South Korean plane stopped...

January 11, 2025

‘I learned all my skills on the dark...

February 11, 2025

A promising athlete, a volunteer firefighter, a renowned...

December 23, 2023

Nobel Prize in medicine won by two scientists...

October 2, 2023

    Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest insights, updates, and exclusive content straight to your inbox! Whether it's industry news, expert advice, or inspiring stories, we bring you valuable information that you won't find anywhere else. Stay connected with us!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Popular

    • 1

      Top 10 Countries for Natural Gas Production (Updated 2024)

      April 6, 2024
    • 2

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 3

      Top 10 Uranium-producing Countries (Updated 2024)

      April 18, 2024
    • 4

      A GOP operative accused a monastery of voter fraud. Nuns fought back.

      January 3, 2025
    • 5

      Top 9 Nickel-producing Countries (Updated 2024)

      April 23, 2024
    • 6

      Australian abolitionist, Grace Forrest, receives coveted ‘Freedom from Fear’ award

      April 13, 2024
    • 7

      LME Sanctions on Russian Metal Push Copper, Nickel and Aluminum Prices Higher

      April 17, 2024

    Categories

    • Business (1,032)
    • Investing (2,050)
    • Politics (2,977)
    • Uncategorized (20)
    • World (3,351)
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: thriftybanker.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 thriftybanker.com | All Rights Reserved