First evidence for an association between joint hypermobility and excitability in a non-human species, the domestic dog

Bowen, Jon; Fatjó, Jaume; Serpell, James A.; Bulbena-Cabré, Andrea; Leighton, Eldin A.; Bulbena, Antoni

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-45096-0

Cited by 16 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Similarly, a study of military working dogs found the latter disorders to be common medical reasons for discharge [24]. Recently, Bowen et al [25] also found joint laxity to be associated with excitability in assistance dogs. Behavioral signs associated with lumbosacral stenosis in military working dogs included lethargy, being slow to rise, reluctance to search high, and reluctance to jump [26].…”

Section: Changes In Learning and Performance Especially In Working Amentioning

confidence: 93%

Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs

Mills

Demontigny-Bédard

Gruen

et al. 2020

Animals

Self Cite

118

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We argue that there is currently an under-reporting of the ways in which pain can be associated with problem behavior, which is seriously limiting the recognition of this welfare problem. A review of the caseloads of 100 recent dog cases of several authors indicates that a conservative estimate of around a third of referred cases involve some form of painful condition, and in some instances, the figure may be nearly 80%. The relationship is often complex but always logical. Musculoskeletal but also painful gastro-intestinal and dermatological conditions are commonly recognized as significant to the animal’s problem behavior. The potential importance of clinical abnormalities such as an unusual gait or unexplained behavioral signs should not be dismissed by clinicians in general practice, even when they are common within a given breed. In general, it is argued that clinicians should err on the side of caution when there is a suspicion that a patient could be in pain by carefully evaluating the patient’s response to trial analgesia, even if a specific physical lesion has not been identified.

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Section: Changes In Learning and Performance Especially In Working Amentioning

confidence: 93%

Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs

Mills

Demontigny-Bédard

Gruen

et al. 2020

Animals

Self Cite

118

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“…Therefore, excitability could be an underlying factor in a wide range of behaviour problems through its impact on attention, cognition, and emotional intensity. Excitability has also recently been found to be associated with joint hypermobility in dogs, indicating that this trait may be influenced by, or share a common genetic or biological basis with, bodily processes outside of the central nervous system [10].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examples include a scale developed to assess emotional predispositions in dogs (PANAS), a scale to assess attention and activity in dogs, and the wide range of battery tests aimed to identify temperament traits related to aggression [14][15][16][17]. Although the C-BARQ is regarded by its authors as a data collection tool, it does include subscales that, individually or in combination, provide information about traits such as excitability, anxiety and aggressiveness, and it has been used as the basis for a number of studies that have explored the biological basis of its subscales [10,18].…”

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confidence: 99%

Making the Case for Multi-Axis Assessment of Behavioural Problems

Fatjó

Bowen

2020

Animals

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The systematic classification of human mental health disorders and behavioural problems in companion animals face the same challenges. These disorders and problems are complex, multi-factorial, and can interfere with the individual’s ability to function within society, a social or family environment. Classification systems are reductive, they discard a lot of critical information, and can be overly focused on the presenting problem, inflexible and obstructive to new research. As a result, human psychiatry is moving away from classification systems and toward a clinical and research model based on dimensional characteristics that encompass the full range from normal to abnormal, and include multiple sources of influence from genetic, to environmental and psychosocial. In this paper, we set out a multi-axis model for the collection and organisation of information about companion animal behaviour problem cases that avoids some of the limitations of classification systems, is aligned with the current research approach in human psychiatry, and assists the clinician in making a complete and thorough assessment of a case.

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“…There is interesting evidence from animals: Hypermobility is linked to exaggerated reactivity of behavioural/emotional arousal and excitability in dogs[ 82 ]. This finding suggests that the link between joint hypermobility and the affective control of bodily arousal is a universal transdiagnostic trait in mammals, influencing the expression of anxiety and behavioural responses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connecting brain and body: Transdiagnostic relevance of connective tissue variants to neuropsychiatric symptom expression

Sharp¹,

Critchley²,

Eccles³

2021

WJP

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The mind is embodied; thoughts and feelings interact with states of physiological arousal and physical integrity of the body. In this context, there is mounting evidence for an association between psychiatric presentations and the expression variant connective tissue, commonly recognised as joint hypermobility. Joint hypermobility is common, frequently under-recognised, significantly impacts quality of life, and can exist in isolation or as the hallmark of hypermobility spectrum disorders (encompassing joint hypermobility syndrome and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome). In this narrative review, we appraise the current evidence linking psychiatric disorders across the lifespan, beginning with the relatively well-established connection with anxiety, to hypermobility. We next consider emerging associations with affective illnesses, eating disorders, alongside less well researched links with personality disorders, substance misuse and psychosis. We then review related findings relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders and stress-sensitive medical conditions. With growing understanding of mind-body interactions, we discuss potential aetiopathogenetic contributions of dysautonomia, aberrant interoceptive processing, immune dysregulation and proprioceptive impairments in the context of psychosocial stressors and genetic predisposition. We examine clinical implications of these evolving findings, calling for increased awareness amongst healthcare professionals of the transdiagnostic nature of hypermobility and related disorders. A role for early screening and detection of hypermobility in those presenting with mental health and somatic symptoms is further highlighted, with a view to facilitate preventative approaches alongside longer-term holistic management strategies. Finally, suggestions are offered for directions of future scientific exploration which may be key to further delineating fundamental mind-body-brain interactions.

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First evidence for an association between joint hypermobility and excitability in a non-human species, the domestic dog

Cited by 16 publications

References 23 publications

Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs

Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs

Making the Case for Multi-Axis Assessment of Behavioural Problems

Connecting brain and body: Transdiagnostic relevance of connective tissue variants to neuropsychiatric symptom expression

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