Neuroendocrinology of Parental Response to Baby‐Cry
- 17 August 2011
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Neuroendocrinology
- Vol. 23 (11), 1036-1041
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02212.x
Abstract
This overview attempts to synthesise current understandings of the neuroendocrine basis of parenting. The parent–infant bond is central to the human condition, contributes to risks for mood and anxiety disorders, and provides the potential for resiliency and protection against the development of psychopathology. Animal models of parenting provide compelling evidence that biological mechanisms may be studied in humans. This has led to brain imaging and endocrine system studies of human parents using baby stimuli and concerted psychological and behavioural measures. Certain brain circuits and related hormonal systems, including subcortical regions for motivation (striatum, amygdala, hypothalamus and hippocampus) and cortical regions for social cognition (anterior cingulate, insula, medial frontal and orbitofrontal cortices), appear to be involved. These brain circuits work with a range of endocrine systems to manage stress and motivate appropriate parental caring behaviour with a flexibility appropriate to the environment. Work in this field promises to link evolving models of parental brain performance with resilience, risk and treatment toward mother–infant mental health.Keywords
This publication has 76 references indexed in Scilit:
- Disentangling pleasure from incentive salience and learning signals in brain reward circuitryProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011
- Plasma Oxytocin Concentration during Pregnancy is associated with Development of Postpartum DepressionNeuropsychopharmacology, 2011
- Model-Based Influences on Humans' Choices and Striatal Prediction ErrorsNeuron, 2011
- Oxytocin, cortisol, and triadic family interactionsPhysiology & Behavior, 2010
- Effects of oxytocin on recollections of maternal care and closenessProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2010
- Oxytocin Attenuates Amygdala Reactivity to Fear in Generalized Social Anxiety DisorderNeuropsychopharmacology, 2010
- Cortical and basal ganglia contributions to habit learning and automaticityTrends in Cognitive Sciences, 2010
- Adult Attachment Predicts Maternal Brain and Oxytocin Response to Infant CuesNeuropsychopharmacology, 2009
- Oxytocin and the neural mechanisms regulating social cognition and affiliative behaviorFrontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 2009
- Neural circuits underlying crying and cry responding in mammalsBehavioural Brain Research, 2007