Petting Puppies vs. Prozac

Posting Date: 05/25/2004

?One previous study done in South Africa by Dr. Johannes Odendaal looked at less parameters than the current study and it also found that the interactions were beneficial for both the people and the dogs,? Meadows said. ?We expect to see the same benefit to the canines in our study?good for the dogs and the people?a true ?win-win? situation.?

The study also indicates that interacting with the robot dog actually decreases levels of serotonin in humans. These preliminary findings could be helpful to psychologists or psychiatrists who want to complement their treatment to a patient suffering from depression, Johnson said. The researchers expect to have final results of the study in the fall.

?We also need to study how the animals react to this attention,? Johnson said. ?It?s important to know when we take dogs to nursing homes or hospitals for therapy if they are feeling any kind of stress. We need to find the right balance where both animals and humans can benefit from interacting with each other.?

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