Maternal Behavior: Neural Circuits, Stimulus Valence, and Motivational Processes
Abstract
SYNOPSIS This article summarizes research on the brain circuits underlying maternal responsiveness. The research shows how a female mammal's physiological state primes and activates neural and neurochemical mechanisms that promote maternal responsiveness. A dysregulation of such mechanisms would lead to inadequate maternal behavior. Neural models are described to show how hormones and oxytocin might cause a functional rewiring of neural circuits so that infant stimuli that initially provoke antisocial defensive responses can come to evoke prosocial acceptance responses. Similarly, genetic, experiential, and cognitive factors might also influence maternal behavior by affecting the operation of the critical neural circuits.
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Mother-infant bonding depends on mothers recognizing infant stimuli through various sensory modalities and a motivational drive to care for their offspring.
“Mother–infant bonding is dependent on mothers recognizing infant stimuli through various sensory modalities and a motivational drive to care for their offspring [20].”
From The Neurobiology of Love and Pair Bonding from Human and Animal Perspectives (2023) · cites this paper as [20]
Mother-infant bonding enables the ongoing maternal drive to care for young, improving long-term outcomes for offspring.
“Mother–infant bonding enables the ongoing maternal drive to care for one’s young, thus improving long-term outcomes for offspring [5,20].”
From The Neurobiology of Love and Pair Bonding from Human and Animal Perspectives (2023) · cites this paper as [20]
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References 29 · Cited by 62
- Authors
- Numan, M.
- Affiliations
- Boston College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Numan, Michael
- Venue
- Parenting
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2012-04
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 2-3
- Pages
- 105-114
- ISSN
- 1529-5192 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-7922
- OpenAlex
- W1983144225
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Parenting (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
- Keywords
- maternal behavior, maternal responsiveness, neural circuits, stimulus valence, motivation, oxytocin, maternal hormones, neuroplasticity, prosocial behavior, female mammals
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