Researchers have identified the neural circuit that triggers ‘wet dog’ shaking behavior in mice. — Photo: nycshooter/ Getty Images, via ETX DailyUP
Dogs have a habit of shaking themselves when they get wet, but this instinctive behavior is not unique to canines. Many mammals do the same, including mice, cats and even lions. US research, published in the journal Science, investigates the neurological mechanism that explains why animals shake themselves vigorously to dry off.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School's Howard Hughes Medical Institute set out to understand why some furry animals shake themselves when wet. The neurobiologists used genetics, physiology and optogenetics to determine which type of neuron and which neural circuit were responsible for so-called "wet dog" shaking in mice.
