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Updated: May 6, 2026

Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
The role of maternal care in shaping CNS function
Benjamin Nephew1, Chris Murgatroyd
1Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, 200 Wesboro Rd., Peabody Pavilion, North Grafton, MA 01536, United States.
Abstract:
Maternal care involves the consistent and coordinated expression of a variety of behaviours over an extended period of time, and adverse changes in maternal care can have profound impacts on the CNS and behaviour of offspring. This complex behavioural pattern depends on a number of integrated neuroendocrine mechanisms. This review will discuss the use of animal models in the study of the role of maternal care in shaping CNS function, the contributions of corticosteroid releasing hormone, vasopressin, oxytocin, and prolactin in this process, the molecular mechanisms involved, and the translational relevance of this research.
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