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Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses
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Exploring the hormonal and neural correlates of paternal protective behavior to their infants

Anna M Lotz1,2, Martine W F T Verhees1, Lisa I Horstman1,2

  • 1Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Developmental Psychobiology
|November 4, 2020
PubMed

Insights

This study found no strong links between hormones, brain activity, and protective actions in new fathers. Neurobiological factors and observed behaviors showed little overlap, suggesting complex influences on paternal protection.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Biology

Background:

  • Paternal protective behavior is crucial but understudied.
  • Endocrine levels and neural responses are theorized biological correlates of protection.
  • Previous research has not linked neurobiological and behavioral aspects of paternal protection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the psychobiology of paternal protection.
  • To examine associations between neurobiological factors and protective behaviors in new fathers.
  • To explore the relationship between hormones, neural responses, and observed/reported paternal protection.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure neural responses to infant-threatening stimuli.
  • Assessed self-reported protective behavior and conducted behavioral observations using a novel Auditory Startling Task.
  • Measured serum levels of testosterone and vasopressin in 77 new fathers.

Main Results:

  • fMRI analyses confirmed the involvement of specific brain networks in processing infant-threat cues.
  • Little concordance was found between observed and self-reported protective behaviors.
  • No robust associations were identified between endocrine levels, neural activity, and paternal protective behavior.

Conclusions:

  • The study found limited overlap between neurobiological measures and actual protective behaviors in new fathers.
  • Current findings suggest that simple associations between hormones, brain responses, and paternal protection are absent.
  • Further research is needed to understand the complex psychobiology of paternal care.

Keywords:
brain imagingfathershormonesparental careprotection

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