title: Flexibility and adaptation of the neural substrate that supports maternal behavior in mammals.
abstract: Maternal behavior is species-specific and expressed under different physiological conditions, and contexts. It is the result of neural processes that support different forms (e.g. postpartum, cycling sensitized and spontaneous maternal behavior) and modalities of mother-offspring interaction (e.g. maternal interaction with altricial/precocious young; selective/non-selective bond). To understand how the brain adapts to and regulates maternal behavior in different species, and physiological and social conditions we propose new neural models to explain different forms of maternal expression (e.g. sensitized and spontaneous maternal behavior) and the behavioral changes that occur across the postpartum period. We emphasize the changing role of the medial preoptic area in the neural circuitry that supports maternal behavior and the cortical regulation and adjustment of ongoing behavioral performance. Finally, we discuss how our accumulated knowledge about the psychobiology of mothering in animal models supports the validity of animal studies to guide our understanding of human mothering and to improve human welfare and health.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Avda. Gral. Flores 2125, CP 11800, Montevideo, Uruguay. Electronic address: dolazabal@fmed.edu.uy.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Olazábal
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Daniella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Agrati
authors.forename: Annabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Alison S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: González-Mariscal
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lévy
authors.forename: Aldo B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lucion
authors.forename: Joan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Morrell
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Numan
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uriarte
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cortex; Dopamine; Flexibility; Maternal behavior; Medial preoptic area; Mouse; Oxytocin; Rabbit; Rat; Sheep; Voles; Weaning