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Neurobiology of maternal care in mammals: hormonal influences, stress effects & a study on psilocybin's unexpected effects during the postpartum period.

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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.

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