A Case for the Interspecies Transfer of Emotions: A Preliminary Investigation on How Humans Odors Modify Reactions of the Autonomic Nervous System in Horses
Abstract
We examined the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) activity of horses in response to human body odors (BOs) produced under happy and fear states. The ANS response of horses was analyzed in terms of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) features extracted in the frequency domain. Our results revealed that human BOs induce sympathetic and parasympathetic changes and stimulate horses emotionally, suggesting interspecies transfer of emotions via BOs. These preliminary findings open the way to measure changes in horse's ANS dynamics in response to human internal states via human BOs, and allow us to better understand unexpected animal behavior that could compromise human-horse interaction. Moreover, it becomes possible to design more effective strategies to manage animals across a range of situations in which a strict humananimal interaction is required, such as the well known Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).
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Human chemosignals could also be perceived by other species such as dogs and horses.
“Recent data suggest that humans' chemosignals could also be perceived by other species as dogs and horses”
From The scent of emotions: A systematic review of human intra‐ and interspecific chemical communication of emotions (2020) · cites this paper as Lanata et al., 2018
In horses, human fear and happiness chemosignals induced sympathetic and parasympathetic changes indicating emotional activation.
“In horses, human fear and happiness chemosignals induced sympathetic and parasympathetic changes indicating emotional activation (Lanata et al., 2018).”
From The scent of emotions: A systematic review of human intra‐ and interspecific chemical communication of emotions (2020) · cites this paper as Lanata et al., 2018
Cites
Kubios HRV–heart rate variability analysis software.
Tarvainen, M. P., Niskanen, J.-P., Lipponen, J. A., Ranta-aho, P. O., & Karjalainen, P. A. (2014) · Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine · doi:10.1016/j.cmpb.2013.07.024 · Cited by 2,720 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Artifacts and ectopic beats were corrected through the use of Kubios HRV software [22]–[25].”
MethodChemosignals communicate human emotions
de Groot, J. H. B., Smeets, M. A. M., Kaldewaij, A., Duijndam, M. J. A., & Semin, G. R. (2012) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797612445317 · Cited by 215 · see citing works
Self-citationde Groot, J. H. B., Smeets, M. A. M., Rowson, M. J., Bulsing, P. J., Blonk, C. G., Wilkinson, J. E., & Semin, G. R. (2015) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797614566318 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
Self-citationStevenson, R. (2009) · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199539352.001.0001 · Cited by 134 · cited 1× · see citing works
“It is known that across a wide range of species body odors (chemiosignals) have a crucial communicative function [1]– [3].”
Backgroundde Groot, J. H. B., Semin, G. R., & Smeets, M. A. M. (2014) · Journal of Experimental Psychology: General · doi:10.1037/a0033731 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Self-citationLanata, A., Guidi, A., Baragli, P., Valenza, G., & Scilingo, E. P. (2015) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140783 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
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Calvi, E., Quassolo, U., Massaia, M., Scandurra, A., D'Aniello, B., & D'Amelio, P. (2020) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.1585 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
“Finally, after collecting human emotional body odors as in the previous study, Lanata et al. analyzed the Autonomic Nervous System reactions of 7 male horses in response to exposure to human happy and fearful chemosignals (Lanata et al., 2018).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialSelf-citation
- Authors
- Lanata, A., Nardelli, M., Valenza, G., Baragli, P., DrAniello, B., Alterisio, A., Scandurra, A., Semin, G. R., & Scilingo, E. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Pisa (IT)
- University of Naples Federico II (IT)
- ORCID
- Venue
- 2018 40th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC)
- Publisher
- IEEE
- Published
- 2018-07
- Volume
- 2018
- Pages
- 522-525
- ISSN
- 2375-7477 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2899492219
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4
- FWCI
- 29.97
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- CINECA IRIS Institutial research information system (University of Pisa) (submittedVersion)
- Florence Research (University of Florence) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Equine › Veterinary Equine Medical Research
- Keywords
- human body odor, horses, autonomic nervous system, heart rate variability, sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, emotional state, human-horse interaction, animal-assisted therapy, animal welfare
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Autonomic Nervous System, Emotions, Heart Rate, Horses, Humans, Odorants, Animal Assisted Therapy
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