Breastfeeding, brain activation to own infant cry, and maternal sensitivity
Open accessAbstract
Background: Research points to the importance of breastfeeding for promoting close mother–infant contact and social‐emotional development. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have identified brain regions related to maternal behaviors. However, little research has addressed the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between breastfeeding and maternal behavior in human mothers. We investigated the associations between breastfeeding, maternal brain response to own infant stimuli, and maternal sensitivity in the early postpartum. Methods: Seventeen biological mothers of healthy infants participated in two matched groups according to feeding method – exclusive breastfeeding and exclusive formula‐feeding at 2–4 weeks postpartum. fMRI scanning was conducted in the first postpartum month to examine maternal brain activation in response to her own baby’s cry versus control baby‐cry. Dyadic interactions between mothers and infants at 3–4 months postpartum were videotaped in the home and blindly coded for maternal sensitivity. Results: In the first postpartum month, breastfeeding mothers showed greater activations in the superior frontal gyrus, insula, precuneus, striatum, and amygdala while listening to their own baby‐cry as compared to formula‐feeding mothers. For both breastfeeding and formula‐feeding mothers, greater activations in the right superior frontal gyrus and amygdala were associated with higher maternal sensitivity at 3–4 months postpartum. Conclusions: Results suggest links between breastfeeding and greater response to infant cues in brain regions implicated in maternal–infant bonding and empathy during the early postpartum. Such brain activations may facilitate greater maternal sensitivity as infants enter their social world.
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Breastfeeding mothers show increased empathy to their own infant crying.
“Breastfeeding mothers show increased empathy to their own infant crying (Kim et al., 2011).”
From The evolved nest, oxytocin functioning, and prosocial development (2023) · cites this paper as Kim et al., 2011
The Results report greater brain activation in breastfeeding mothers while listening to their own infant's cry, and the Discussion identifies some of these regions as implicated in empathy. The study did not directly measure empathy toward the crying infant, so the claim states a neural finding as an increase in empathy. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredFor mothers, breastfeeding supports empathic, attuned, prosocial responses that include emotion recognition.
“For mothers, breastfeeding supports empathic, attuned, prosocial responses that include emotion recognition.”
From The evolved nest, oxytocin functioning, and prosocial development (2023) · cites this paper as Kim et al. (2011)
The Discussion reports that breastfeeding mothers showed greater brain responses to their own infants’ cries in regions associated with empathy, and links those responses to maternal sensitivity. It also suggests these responses help mothers understand infants’ emotional states. But the Discussion explicitly cautions that the association may not be causal, so the claim that breastfeeding ‘supports’ these responses is stronger than the evidence warrants. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredBreastfeeding mothers were reported to be more sensitive to their own infants cry compared to formula-feeding mothers at 2-4 weeks postpartum in emotion response and regulation brain regions, including the superior frontal gyrus, insula, precuneus, striatum and amygdala.
“Second, breastfeeding mothers were reported to be more sensitive to their own infants cry compared to formula-feeding mothers at 2–4 weeks postpartum (40) in emotion response and regulation brain regions, including the superior frontal gyrus, insula, precuneus, striatum and amygdala.”
From Neuroendocrinology of Parental Response to Baby‐Cry (2011) · cites this paper as [40]
Brain activity in the superior frontal gyrus and amygdala predict maternal sensitivity at 3-4 months postpartum among these mothers.
“Finally, brain activity in the superior frontal gyrus and amygdala predict maternal sensitivity at 3–4 months postpartum among these mothers (40).”
From Neuroendocrinology of Parental Response to Baby‐Cry (2011) · cites this paper as [40]
Exclusive breastfeeding was associated with greater neural responses to cries of one's own baby compared to exclusive formula-feeding.
“In an fMRI study, exclusive breastfeeding was associated with greater neural responses to cries of one’s own baby (vs. unrelated baby’s cry sounds), compared to exclusive formula-feeding (Kim et al., 2011).”
From The maternal brain and its plasticity in humans (2016) · cites this paper as Kim et al., 2011
Greater neural responses in the striatum/amygdala and superior frontal gyrus to one's own infant's cries at the first month postpartum were positively associated with maternal sensitivity observed during mother-infant interactions at three to four months postpartum.
“Furthermore, greater neural responses in the striatum/amygdala and superior frontal gyrus to one’s own infant’s cries at the first month postpartum were positively associated with maternal sensitivity, observed during mother-infant interactions at three to four months postpartum.”
From The maternal brain and its plasticity in humans (2016) · cites this paper as Kim et al., 2011
Breastfeeding vs formula feeding is associated with greater activations to own baby cries vs other baby cries in anterior and posterior cingulate, thalamus, midbrain, hypothalamus, septal regions, dorsal and ventral striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, right orbitofrontal/insula/temporal polar cortex region, right lateral temporal cortex, and fusiform gyrus in mothers (Kim et al., 2011).
“Imaging studies using baby cry (Kim et al., 2011), find breastfeeding vs. formula feeding is associated with greater activations to own baby cries vs. other baby cries in anterior and posterior cingulate, thalamus, midbrain, hypothalamus, septal regions, dorsal and ventral striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, right orbitofrontal/insula/temporal polar cortex region, and right lateral temporal cortex”
From Approaching the biology of human parental attachment: Brain imaging, oxytocin and coordinated assessments of mothers and fathers (2014) · cites this paper as Kim et al., 2011
Brain activity to own vs unknown baby-cry correlates with independently-rated behavioral measures of parenting in response (amygdala) and regulation (frontal cortex) regions (Kim et al., 2011).
“Furthermore, and for the first time, Kim and colleagues (2011) reported a correlation of brain activity to own vs. unknown baby-cry with independently-rated -behavioral measures of parenting in response (amygdala) and regulation (frontal cortex) regions”
From Approaching the biology of human parental attachment: Brain imaging, oxytocin and coordinated assessments of mothers and fathers (2014) · cites this paper as Kim et al., 2011
When cry response was compared with inter-stimulus rest periods instead of the control sound, the amygdala was active (Kim et al., 2011).
“Additionally, when cry response was compared with the inter-stimulus rest periods, instead of the control sound (which some mothers judged to be aversive), the amygdala was active.”
From Approaching the biology of human parental attachment: Brain imaging, oxytocin and coordinated assessments of mothers and fathers (2014) · cites this paper as Kim et al., 2011
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“The CIB has been used in multiple studies and has shown sensitivity to infant age, interacting partner, cultural variations, biological and social-emotional risk conditions, and the effects of interventions (Feldman, Eidelman, & Rotenberg, 2004; Feldman & Klein, 2003; Feldman, Masalha, & Nadam, 2001; Feldman, Weller,…”
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ADULT ATTACHMENT STYLE AND SUICIDALITY
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- Authors
- Kim, P., Feldman, R., Mayes, L. C., Eicher, V., Thompson, N., Leckman, J. F., & Swain, J. E.
- Affiliations
- Cornell University (US)
- Bar-Ilan University (IL)
- Anna Freud Centre (GB)
- Yale University (US)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-04-18
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 907-915
- ISSN
- 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-7610
- PMC
- PMC3134570
- OpenAlex
- W2141760481
- Cited by
- 386
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 29.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Deep Blue (University of Michigan) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (Z99 MH999999)
- National Institute of Mental Health (K05MH076273)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (K05DA020091)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
- Keywords
- breastfeeding, infant crying, maternal sensitivity, bottle feeding, postpartum period, superior frontal gyrus, amygdala, insula, maternal-infant bonding, maternal empathy, mother-infant interaction
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amygdala, Brain Mapping, Breast Feeding, Connecticut, Corpus Striatum, Crying, Cues, Female, Frontal Lobe, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Maternal Behavior, Mother-Child Relations, Object Attachment, Postpartum Period
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