Neural Basis of Maternal Behavior

小行星9728758 为了物种的生存，年轻人必须得到照顾，直到他们可以自己生存。 直到最近，很少有研究被导向阐明母性行为背后的神经机制。 现在很清楚，母亲行为的调节需要激素，神经，神经化学和行为因素的整合努曼博士已经证明，母亲的行为发生在怀孕结束时，因为激素作用于大脑，以减少对婴儿刺激的恐惧或回避，并增加对婴儿的吸引力或接近。 现在，他将揭示这种母性反应的接近-回避模型背后的神经基质。 努曼博士将使用各种最先进的分子、神经化学、解剖学和行为学技术来检验他的理论，即当杏仁核的输出被抑制而内侧视前区的输出被促进时，母性行为被促进。 这项基础研究将帮助我们了解激素如何与边缘系统（杏仁核）和下丘脑（内侧视前区）神经回路相互作用，以控制一个关键的复杂行为。 此外，了解正常的过程是一种基础研究，最终将导致揭示一些不良母亲的生物和行为原因，如虐待和忽视儿童，以及产后抑郁症等疾病。

9728758 Numan For survival of the species, the young must be cared for until they can subsist on their own. Until recently, little research has been directed towards the elucidation of the neural mechanisms that underlie maternal behavior. It is now clear that the regulation of maternal behavior requires the integration of hormonal, neural, neurochemical and behavioral factors Dr. Numan has demonstrated that maternal behavior occurs at the end of pregnancy because hormones act on the brain to decrease fear or avoidance of infant stimuli and to increase attraction or approach towards the infant. He will now uncover the neural substrate that underlies such an approach-avoidance model of maternal responsiveness. Using a variety of state-of-the art molecular, neurochemical, anatomical, and behavioral techniques, Dr. Numan will examine his theory that maternal behavior is promoted when the output of the amygdala is inhibited while the output of the medial preoptic area is facilitated. This fundamental research will help us understand how hormones interact with limbic (amydgala) and hypothalamic (medial preoptic area) neural circuits to control a critical complex behavior. Moreover, understanding the normal process is the type of basic research that will eventually lead to uncovering some of the biological and behavioral causes of poor mothering such as child abuse and neglect, as well as disorders such as postpartum depression.