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Wide release date: December 26, 2025.

Topics Discussed:

* Maternal care behavior in rodents: Nursing, pup retrieval, grooming, and nest-building, essential for altricial pups’ survival; conserved across mammals but varies by species.

* Hormonal changes in pregnancy: Estradiol and progesterone surge then drop at birth, crossing the blood-brain barrier to enable infant attraction and care via gene expression and neuroplasticity.

* Brain circuitry for parenting: Medial preoptic area acts as a central hub, coordinating motivation and sensory inputs; present in both sexes but activated differently by hormones and experience.

* Stress impacts on mothers: Social stressors like male intruders dysregulate care, leading to frantic behaviors and avoidance; models human psychosocial stress linked to postpartum mood disorders.

* Sex differences in pup care: Mothers groom male pups more, influencing sexual behaviors, which effects future behavior.

* Psilocybin in postpartum mice: Single dose increased anxiety in mothers, showed no antidepressant effects, and transferred via milk, causing long-term anhedonia and impairments in offspring as adults.

* Serotonin system development: Early exposure to serotonergic drugs like psilocybin or SSRIs alters lifelong behavior, highlighting sensitive periods in brain reorganization.

Practical Takeaways:

* Reduce postpartum stress through social support to enhance maternal bonding and minimize mood disorder risks.

* Approach psychedelics cautiously during postpartum due to potential anxiety increases and offspring effects via milk.

* Recognize hormonal shifts heighten sensitivity to infant cues, aiding natural caregiving instincts.

* Monitor environmental factors like food availability or threats that could disrupt parental behaviors in high-stress scenarios.

About the guest: Danielle Stolzenberg, PhD is an associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, where her lab studies the neurobiology of maternal care.

Reference Paper:

* Study: Psilocybin during the postpartum period induces long-lasting adverse effects in both mothers and offspring

Related Episode:

* M&M 180: Mother-Infant Bonding, Maternal Care & Breastfeeding, Neural Basis of Hunger & Social Behavior | Marcelo Dietrich

*Not medical advice.

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* Episode transcript below.

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