IMPORTANCE OF PATERNAL CARE

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 目的：确定灵长类动物良好养育的促进因子。 与人类一样，合作繁殖的绒猴和绢毛猴也表现出相当数量的父亲指导的婴儿护理。然而，绒猴和绢毛猴的父亲比母亲花更多的时间照顾婴儿。 父亲在分娩前表现出荷尔蒙的变化，促进婴儿的反应。我们发现，有经验的绒猴父亲对婴儿的反应很高，但不敏感。 男性测试他们的婴儿反应是高度积极的回应一个活的婴儿或婴儿发出的声音。 我们发现，催乳素降低的男性对婴儿提示的反应也较低，而在婴儿出生前睾酮水平最高的男性对婴儿提示的反应也最强。 此外，因果关系研究表明，催乳素有助于调节绒猴和绢毛猴的体重。 降低催乳素与父亲在婴儿时期体重显著减轻有关，而增加催乳素则可防止婴儿护理体重减轻。 我们认为，有促进雄性父母照顾的绒猴激素条件。 本研究使用WNPRC Assay Services。 NIH MIMH资助在本报告期前结束;已发表三篇论文。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Objective: To determine the facilitators of good parenting in primates. As in humans, cooperative breeding marmosets and tamarins show a considerable amount of father directed infant care. However, marmoset and tamarin fathers spend more time than the mother caring for infants. Fathers before delivery show hormonal changes that facilitate infant responsiveness. We found that experienced father marmosets are highly but variably responsive to infants. Males tested for their infant responsiveness are highly motivated to respond to a live infant or to vocalizations produced by an infant. We found that males with lowered prolactin also showed lower responsiveness to infant cues while males who had the highest levels of testosterone prior to infant birth also show the most responsiveness to infant cues. Additionally causal studies indicate that prolactin helps regulate weight in marmosets and tamarin monkeys. Lowering prolactin is associate with fathers losing a significant amount of weight during the infant period while increasing prolactin prevents weight loss with infant care. We suggest that there are hormonal conditions that faciliate male parental care in the marmoset monkey. This research used WNPRC Assay Services. NIH MIMH funding ended before this reporting period; three publications have resulted.