Stress-induced modulation of maternal behavior and mesolimbic dopamine function

In humans, maternal stress exposure is associated with compromised quality of mother-infant interactions and increased risk for affective disorders that impair maternal care. These effects have been recapitulated in rodent studies employing postpartum stressors. Here, I provide a brief overview of recent studies showing stress-induced alterations in maternal behaviors in both humans and rodents. In addition, I review current literature indicating a role for mesolimbic dopamine function in maternal sensitivity and goal-directed responses and discuss its disruption by stress exposure.