Neuroendocrine regulation of maternal behavior
Open accessAbstract
The expression of maternal behavior in mammals is regulated by the developmental and experiential events over a female's lifetime. In this review the relationships between the endocrine and neural systems that play key roles in these developmental and experiential processes that affect both the establishment and maintenance of maternal care are presented. The involvement of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and lactogens are discussed in the context of ligand, receptor, and gene activity in rodents and to a lesser extent in higher mammals. The roles of neuroendocrine factors, including oxytocin, vasopressin, classical neurotransmitters, and other neural gene products that regulate aspects of maternal care are set forth, and the interactions of hormones with central nervous system mediators of maternal behavior are discussed. The impact of prior developmental factors, including epigenetic events, and maternal experience on subsequent maternal care are assessed over the course of the female's lifespan. It is proposed that common neuroendocrine mechanisms underlie the regulation of maternal care in mammals.
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Maternal behavior in mammals emerges around the time of birth due to changes in circulating levels of estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, and oxytocin.
“Maternal behavior in mammals emerges around the time of birth due to changes in circulating levels of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, and OT [21,22].”
From The Neurobiology of Love and Pair Bonding from Human and Animal Perspectives (2023) · cites this paper as [21]
Section 3.1 says hormonal changes during pregnancy and at birth help stimulate maternal care, and identifies estrogen, progesterone and prolactin as key contributors. It also says dependence on hormones varies by species and reproductive history. Its oxytocin discussion describes primarily central action, rather than showing that a change in circulating oxytocin causes maternal behavior to emerge at birth. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe emergence of different aspects of maternal behavior relies on experience-dependent changes within the maternal brain that enable the processing of sensory cues from the newborn.
“the emergence of different aspects of maternal behavior relies on experience-dependent changes within the maternal brain that enable the processing of sensory cues from the newborn”
From Neuromodulation of maternal circuits by oxytocin (2019) · cites this paper as Bridges, 2015
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References 199 · Cited by 346
- Authors
- Bridges, R. S.
- Affiliations
- Tufts University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bridges, Robert S.
- ORCID
- Bridges, Robert S.
- Venue
- Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-01
- Volume
- 36
- Pages
- 178-196
- ISSN
- 0091-3022 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4342279
- OpenAlex
- W1967998998
- Cited by
- 346
- References
- 199
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 37 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 3.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the NIH (HD 019789 and HD 039895)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- maternal behavior, maternal care, neuroendocrine regulation, estrogen, progesterone, lactogen, oxytocin, vasopressin, neurotransmitters, epigenetics, maternal experience, hormone receptors, gene expression, female longevity, rodents
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Female, Humans, Maternal Behavior, Neurosecretory Systems, Oxytocin, Vasopressins
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