https://phys.org/news/2018-06-differences-brain-morphology-wild-domestic.html

"In a previous study we reported that genetic differences between wild and domestic rabbits are particularly common in the vicinity of genes expressed during brain development," explains Miguel Carneiro, from CIBIO-InBIO, University of Porto, one of the leading authors on the paper. "In the present study, we decided to use high-resolution MRI to explore if these genetic changes are associated with changes in brain morphology," says Miguel Carneiro.

The scientists raised eight domestic and eight wild rabbits under very similar conditions to minimize changes due to environmental effects. Furthermore, the brain MRI data were interpreted with sophisticated image analysis in which the scientist carrying out the analysis was unaware of the status animals (wild or domestic).