Sofie Salden

Do you want to know what’s going on in your dogs mind? That’s what I am studying – the canine brain. I graduated as a veterinarian in 2022 from Ghent University. Currently, during my PhD, I am investigating the canine brain using an interdisciplanary approach, combining both human and veterinary knowledge, in both the GHEP lab as well as the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

I graduated as a veterinarian in 2022 from Ghent University. There, I completed my master’s thesis on canine Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (c-PTSD). I will continue this research during my PhD, funded by the FWO and performed both in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Clinical Behavioural Team UGent) as in GHEP lab. Here, we combine neuroimaging and behavioural research in dogs to study canine post-traumatic behavior.

Furthermore, I also conduct research on the use of non-invasive neuromodulation as an innovative treatment for anxious dogs. We combine functional neuroimaging techniques with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) protocols with the aim to improve the behavior of these dogs. By conducting more research into the canine brain, the long-term aim of this project is also to further develop this as a translational animal model which will ultimately benefit the field of human medicine as well.

Aside from my professional activities, I love sports (running, cycling, swimming) and my own anxious cat.

Keywords: Canine Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Functional Neuroimaging, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Non-Invasive Neuromodulation, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Welfare