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Wang Y, Lin D. Stress and parental behaviors. Neurosci Res 2024:S0168-0102(24)00154-8. [PMID: 39674404 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2024.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2024] [Revised: 11/12/2024] [Accepted: 12/09/2024] [Indexed: 12/16/2024]
Abstract
In nearly all mammalian species, newborn pups are weak and vulnerable, relying heavily on care and protection from parents for survival. Thus, developmentally hardwired neural circuits are in place to ensure the timely expression of parental behaviors. Furthermore, several neurochemical systems, including estrogen, oxytocin, and dopamine, facilitate the emergence and expression of parental behaviors. However, stress can adversely affect these systems, impairing parental behaviors. In this review, we will summarize our current knowledge regarding the impact of stress on pup-directed behavior circuits that lead to infant neglect, abuse, and, in extreme cases, killing. We will discuss various stressors that influence parental behaviors at different life stages and how stress induces changes in the neurochemical systems that support parental care, ultimately leading to its poor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Wang
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Kondo H, Iwata T, Sato K, Koshiishi R, Suzuki H, Murata K, Spehr M, Touhara K, Nikaido M, Hirota J. Impaired pheromone detection and abnormal sexual behavior in female mice deficient for ancV1R. Curr Biol 2024:S0960-9822(24)01504-5. [PMID: 39577426 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 10/29/2024] [Indexed: 11/24/2024]
Abstract
Ancient vomeronasal receptor type-1 (ancV1R), a putative vomeronasal receptor, is highly conserved across a wide range of vertebrates and is expressed in the majority of vomeronasal sensory neurons, co-expressing with canonical vomeronasal receptors, V1Rs and V2Rs. The pseudogenization of ancV1R is closely associated with vomeronasal organ (VNO) degeneration, indicating its critical role in pheromone sensing. However, the specific role of ancV1R remains unknown. In this study, to elucidate the function of ancV1R, we conducted phenotypic analyses of ancV1R-deficient female mice. Behavioral analyses showed that ancV1R-deficient females exhibited rejective responses toward male sexual behavior and displayed no preference for male urine. Physiological analyses demonstrate that the loss-of-function mutation of ancV1R reduced VNO response to various pheromone cues, including male urine, the sexual enhancing pheromone exocrine gland-secreting peptide 1 (ESP1), and β-estradiol 3-sulfate. Pre-exposure to ESP1 did not overcome the rejection behavior caused by ancV1R deficiency. Analysis of neural activity in the vomeronasal system revealed increased responses in the medial amygdala and posteromedial cortical amygdala of mutant females upon contact with males but not in response to male urine alone. Additionally, upon male contacts, ancV1R-deficient females exhibited increased neural activity in the lateral septum, a stress-associated brain region, along with elevated stress hormone levels. Such effects were not observed in females exposed solely to male urine. These findings suggest that, in females, ancV1R facilitates VNO responses to pheromone stimuli and plays a crucial role in perceiving males as mating partners. The absence of ancV1R results in failure of male perception, leading to abnormal sexual behaviors and stress responses upon male contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiro Kondo
- Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan; Center for Integrative Biosciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Iwata
- Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan; Center for Integrative Biosciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Koji Sato
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Riseru Koshiishi
- Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | | | - Ken Murata
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Marc Spehr
- Department of Chemosensation, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Kazushige Touhara
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Masato Nikaido
- Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Junji Hirota
- Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan; Center for Integrative Biosciences, Institute of Science Tokyo, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
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3
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Inada K. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying oxytocin-mediated parental behavior in rodents. Neurosci Res 2024; 207:1-12. [PMID: 38642676 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2024.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Parental behavior is essential for mammalian offspring to survive. Because of this significance, elucidating the neurobiological mechanisms that facilitate parental behavior has received strong interest. Decades of studies utilizing pharmacology and molecular biology have revealed that in addition to its facilitatory effects on parturition and lactation, oxytocin (OT) promotes the expression of parental behavior in rodents. Recent studies have also described the modulation of sensory processing by OT and the interaction of the OT system with other brain regions associated with parental behavior. However, the precise neurobiological mechanisms underlying the facilitation of caregiving behaviors by OT remain unclear. In this Review, I summarize the findings from rats and mice with a view toward integrating past and recent progress. I then review recent advances in the understanding of the molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanisms of OT-mediated parental behavior. Based on these observations, I propose a hypothetical model that would explain the mechanisms underlying OT-mediated parental behavior. Finally, I conclude by discussing some major remaining questions and propose potential future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kengo Inada
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
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Fischer S, Duffield C, Swaney WT, Bolton RL, Davidson AJ, Hurst JL, Stockley P. Egalitarian cooperation linked to central oxytocin levels in communal breeding house mice. Commun Biol 2024; 7:1193. [PMID: 39333722 PMCID: PMC11436823 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06922-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Relationships between adult females are fundamental to understanding diversity in animal social systems. While cooperative relationships between kin are known to promote fitness benefits, the proximate mechanisms underlying this are not well understood. Here we show that when related female house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) cooperate to rear young communally, those with higher endogenous oxytocin levels have more egalitarian and successful cooperative relationships. Sisters with higher oxytocin concentrations in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus weaned significantly more offspring, had lower reproductive skew and spent more equal proportions of time in the nest. By contrast, PVN oxytocin was unrelated to the number of weaned offspring produced in the absence of cooperation, and did not vary in response to manipulation of nest site availability or social cues of outgroup competition. By linking fitness consequences of cooperation with oxytocin, our findings have broad implications for understanding the evolution of egalitarian social relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Fischer
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK.
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Behavioral & Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, University Biology Building (UBB), Djerassiplatz 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Callum Duffield
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - William T Swaney
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Rhiannon L Bolton
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Amanda J Davidson
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Jane L Hurst
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Paula Stockley
- Mammalian Behaviour & Evolution Group, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK.
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Zhou H, Zhu R, Xia Y, Zhang X, Wang Z, Lorimer GH, Ghiladi RA, Bayram H, Wang J. Neuropeptides affecting social behavior in mammals: Oxytocin. Peptides 2024; 177:171223. [PMID: 38626843 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2024.171223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT), a neuropeptide consisting of only nine amino acids, is synthesized in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Although OXT is best known for its role in lactation and parturition, recent research has shown that it also has a significant impact on social behaviors in mammals. However, a comprehensive review of this topic is still lacking. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the effects of OXT on social behavior in mammals. These effects of OXT from the perspective of five key behavioral dimensions were summarized: parental behavior, anxiety, aggression, attachment, and empathy. To date, researchers have agreed that OXT plays a positive regulatory role in a wide range of social behaviors, but there have been controversially reported results. In this review, we have provided a detailed panorama of the role of OXT in social behavior and, for the first time, delved into the underlying regulatory mechanisms, which may help better understand the multifaceted role of OXT. Levels of OXT in previous human studies were also summarized to provide insights for diagnosis of mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhou
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Rui Zhu
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Yuqing Xia
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Xinming Zhang
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Zixu Wang
- National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | | | - Reza A Ghiladi
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Hasan Bayram
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
| | - Jun Wang
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China.
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Kuroda KO, Fukumitsu K, Kurachi T, Ohmura N, Shiraishi Y, Yoshihara C. Parental brain through time: The origin and development of the neural circuit of mammalian parenting. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1534:24-44. [PMID: 38426943 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
This review consolidates current knowledge on mammalian parental care, focusing on its neural mechanisms, evolutionary origins, and derivatives. Neurobiological studies have identified specific neurons in the medial preoptic area as crucial for parental care. Unexpectedly, these neurons are characterized by the expression of molecules signaling satiety, such as calcitonin receptor and BRS3, and overlap with neurons involved in the reproductive behaviors of males but not females. A synthesis of comparative ecology and paleontology suggests an evolutionary scenario for mammalian parental care, possibly stemming from male-biased guarding of offspring in basal vertebrates. The terrestrial transition of tetrapods led to prolonged egg retention in females and the emergence of amniotes, skewing care toward females. The nocturnal adaptation of Mesozoic mammalian ancestors reinforced maternal care for lactation and thermal regulation via endothermy, potentially introducing metabolic gate control in parenting neurons. The established maternal care may have served as the precursor for paternal and cooperative care in mammals and also fostered the development of group living, which may have further contributed to the emergence of empathy and altruism. These evolution-informed working hypotheses require empirical validation, yet they offer promising avenues to investigate the neural underpinnings of mammalian social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumi O Kuroda
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- School of Life Sciences and Technologies, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kansai Fukumitsu
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Takuma Kurachi
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nami Ohmura
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yuko Shiraishi
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Kawamura Gakuen Woman's University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Chihiro Yoshihara
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- School of Life Sciences and Technologies, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
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Kurachi T, Shinozuka K, Yoshihara C, Yano-Nashimoto S, Murayama AY, Hata J, Haga Y, Okano H, Kuroda KO. Distinct roles of amylin and oxytocin signaling in intrafamilial social behaviors at the medial preoptic area of common marmosets. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1231. [PMID: 38052969 PMCID: PMC10698028 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05593-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcitonin receptor (Calcr) and its brain ligand amylin in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) are found to be critically involved in infant care and social contact behaviors in mice. In primates, however, the evidence is limited to an excitotoxic lesion study of the Calcr-expressing MPOA subregion (cMPOA) in a family-living primate species, the common marmoset. The present study utilized pharmacological manipulations of the cMPOA and shows that reversible inactivation of the cMPOA abolishes infant-care behaviors in sibling marmosets without affecting other social or non-social behaviors. Amylin-expressing neurons in the marmoset MPOA are distributed in the vicinity of oxytocin neurons in the anterior paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. While amylin infusion facilitates infant carrying selectively, an oxytocin's inverse agonist, atosiban, reduces physical contact with non-infant family members without grossly affecting infant care. These data suggest that the amylin and oxytocin signaling mediate intrafamilial social interactions in a complementary manner in marmosets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Kurachi
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Shinozuka
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Chihiro Yoshihara
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Saori Yano-Nashimoto
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ayako Y Murayama
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Junichi Hata
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
- Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yawara Haga
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kumi O Kuroda
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan.
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan.
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan.
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Ohmura N, Okuma L, Truzzi A, Esposito G, Kuroda KO. Maternal physiological calming responses to infant suckling at the breast. J Physiol Sci 2023; 73:3. [PMID: 36918820 DOI: 10.1186/s12576-023-00860-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
The mother-infant relation is key to infant physical, cognitive and social development. Mutual regulation and cooperation are required to maintain the dyadic system, but the biological foundation of these responses remains to be clarified. In this study, we report the maternal calming responses to infant suckling during breastfeeding. Using behavioral measures and a Holter electrocardiogram as a readout of the maternal autonomic nervous system, the maternal activities during resting, sitting with her infant on her lap, and breastfeeding were assessed. We found that during breastfeeding, mothers talked less and maternal heart rate was lower than during sitting with the infant without breastfeeding. Congruently, maternal heart rate variability measurements indicated a higher parasympathetic activity during breastfeeding. Time-locked analyses suggested that this maternal calming response was initiated by the tactile stimulation at the breast by the infant face or mouth latch, which preceded the perceived milk ejection. These findings suggest that somatosensory stimuli of breastfeeding activate parasympathetic activity in mothers. Just as how the infant Transport Response facilitates the carrying of infants, the maternal calming responses during breastfeeding may promote efficient milk intake by inhibiting spontaneous maternal activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Ohmura
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan.
| | - Lana Okuma
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan.,Laboratory for Human Cognition and Learning, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Anna Truzzi
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, TN, Italy.,School of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Kumi O Kuroda
- Laboratory for Affiliative Social Behavior, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 351-0198, Saitama, Japan.
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