Neuroendocrinology of parental behaviour Flashcards
What is parental behaviour?
any behaviour of an adult of a species that helps an immature conspecific survive. to maturity
Why is parental behaviour costly?
It affects the parent’s future survival and reproductive opportunities.
How common is maternal and biparental care in mammals?
Maternal care is present in all mammalian species.
Biparental care occurs in 5% of species.
how does pregnancy prepare mothers for parenthood?
Estradiol increases during pregnancy and restructures the medial preoptic area (MPOA).
Oxytocin is produced by the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus, which is essential for bonding, childbirth and lactation
Prolactin is released from the anterior pituitary which facilitates milk production and supports nurturing behaviour
where is the medial pre optic area?
hypothalamus
what is MPOA crucial for?
maternal motivation and care as it integrates sensory, hormonal and reward-related info
how does oxytocin promote maternal bonding?
promotes maternal-infant attachment by enhancing social recongnion and reducing stress responses
How do infant cues and hormones influence maternal motivation?
They trigger dopamine (DA) release into the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), increasing motivation and approach behaviour toward infants.
Which brain areas are activated in mothers when recognizing their child’s emotional state?
Sad faces of their child activate the amygdala (linked to emotional processing and threat detection) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (involved in emotional regulation and empathy).
Happy faces activate the hippocampus (associated with memory and bonding) and the insula (involved in emotional awareness and interoception).
What is the relationship between maternal oxytocin and parenting?
Higher oxytocin is correlated with more affectionate parenting behaviour from mothers.
How is affectionate touch related to cortisol levels in primiparous mothers?
More affectionate touch is linked to higher cortisol levels.
What role does the medial preoptic area (MPOA) play in paternal care?
GABAergic signaling in the MPOA reduces avoidance and promotes paternal care.
How do fathers’ brains respond to child pictures compared to non-fathers?
fathers show increased activation in the medial orbitofrontal cortex in response to child stimuli compared to non fathers
suggests stronger reward-related and emotional processing
How do non-fathers’ hormone levels differ from fathers’?
Non-fathers have higher testosterone and lower oxytocin compared to fathers.
In response to child picture stimuli, fathers showed stronger activation than non-fathers within regions important for face emotion processing, and reward processing (medial orbitofrontal cortex [mOFC]).
Compared with placebo, oxytocin robustly augmented the BOLD response to viewing pictures of own children relative to adults in the caudate nucleus, the dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC), and visual cortex
Does attentional prioritization of infant faces differ based on sex or family structure?
No, it appears to occur independently of sex and family type.
what interaction is maternal care regulated by
Parental behavior is regulated by a complex interaction between the nervous system and endocrine system.
Hormones and brain regions work together to shape caregiving behaviors such as bonding, nurturing, and protection.
what is oxytocin known as?
bonding hormone
what is prolactin known as?
parenting hormone
which gland is responsible for releasing prolactin in humans?
Anterior pituitary
. What is the main role of prolactin in breastfeeding?
Stimulating milk production in the mammary glands
During childbirth, oxytocin is responsible for:
Inducing uterine contractions
How does oxytocin influence breastfeeding?
It triggers the let-down reflex, allowing milk to be ejected from the breasts
How do prolactin and oxytocin influence paternal behaviours in humans?
Both hormones are involved in enhancing nurturing behaviour and increasing
responsiveness to infants.
What is the nucleus accumbens
a subcortical brain structure within the ventral striatum, a key part of the brain’s reward system, involved in motivation, reward processing, and decision-making
what does estradiol do in mothers?
Estradiol increases during pregnancy and restructures the medial preoptic area (MPOA).
why is oxytocin important in motherhood
is essential for bonding, childbirth and lactation
where is oxytocin produced?
Oxytocin is produced by the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus,
what is prolactins role in motherhood?
Prolactin is released from the anterior pituitary which facilitates milk production and supports nurturing behaviour
