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Cited by 160Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorInfant Health and DevelopmentAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

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Oxytocin: a parenting hormone

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Feldman, Ruth, Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J·2017·Current Opinion in Psychology
DOI 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.02.011
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Abstract

In non-human mammals mothering is hormone-dependent, with crucial roles for oxytocin and prolactin. While human parenting is not hormone-dependent, hormonal changes in oxytocin, vasopressin, prolactin, testosterone, and cortisol prime and accompany the expression of parenting. In the following we focus on oxytocin (OT) as a key hormone in human parenting. OT is a nine-amino-acid neuropeptide hormone which evolved from the ancient vasotocin molecule approximately 650 MYO. OT is implicated in sociality across vertebrate evolution and substantial research has pinpointed its role in birth, lactation, and maternal care in mammals. Over the last decade, studies have begun to examine peripheral levels of OT - in plasma, saliva, urine, and to lesser extend CSF - in humans as well as OT administration to parents. Correlational and experimental studies indicate that OT is associated with increased parent-child synchrony, sensitive parenting, and parental contact; interacts with other hormones, such as vasopressin, cortisol, or testosterone to create parent-specific effects; is associated with activation of key nodes in the parental brain, and is altered in conditions of high risk or parental psychopathology. We conclude by discussing the potential role of OT in interventions for high-risk parenting.

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Metadata

Authors
Feldman, R., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J.
Affiliations
Bar-Ilan University (IL)
Corresponding author
Feldman, Ruth
ORCID
Feldman, Ruth
Venue
Current Opinion in Psychology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-06
Volume
15
Pages
13-18
ISSN
2352-250X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.02.011
OpenAlex
W2590449830
Cited by
160
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 10
FWCI
2.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (024.001.003)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Health and Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords
oxytocin, parenting, maternal care, vasopressin, prolactin, testosterone, cortisol, parent-child synchrony, parental sensitivity, parental psychopathology, lactation, births

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