Journal article
Adult attachment predicts maternal brain and oxytocin response to infant cues
Neuropsychopharmacology (New York, N.Y.), Vol.34(13), pp.2655-2666
12/2009
DOI: 10.1038/npp.2009.103
PMCID: PMC3041266
PMID: 19710635
Abstract
Infant cues, such as smiling or crying facial expressions, are powerful motivators of human maternal behavior, activating dopamine-associated brain reward circuits. Oxytocin, a neurohormone of attachment, promotes maternal care in animals, although its role in human maternal behavior is unclear. We examined 30 first-time new mothers to test whether differences in attachment, based on the Adult Attachment Interview, were related to brain reward and peripheral oxytocin response to infant cues. On viewing their own infant’s smiling and crying faces during functional MRI scanning, mothers with secure attachment showed greater activation of brain reward regions, including the ventral striatum, and the oxytocin-associated hypothalamus/pituitary region. Peripheral oxytocin response to infant contact at 7 months was also significantly higher in secure mothers, and was positively correlated with brain activation in both regions. Insecure/dismissing mothers showed greater insular activation in response to their own infant’s sad faces. These results suggest that individual differences in maternal attachment may be linked with development of the dopaminergic and oxytocinergic neuroendocrine systems.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Adult attachment predicts maternal brain and oxytocin response to infant cues
- Creators
- Lane Strathearn - The Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USAPeter Fonagy - Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UKJanet Amico - Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, 541A Salk Hall, University of Pittsburgh, 351 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USAP. Read Montague - Human Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, One Baylor Plaza, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Neuropsychopharmacology (New York, N.Y.), Vol.34(13), pp.2655-2666
- DOI
- 10.1038/npp.2009.103
- PMID
- 19710635
- PMCID
- PMC3041266
- ISSN
- 0893-133X
- eISSN
- 1740-634X
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/2009
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics; Neuroscience and Pharmacology
- Record Identifier
- 9984040341502771
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