Brain region plays key role in regulation of parenting behavior, study finds

The amygdala a region of the brain known to be involved in emotions and social behaviors has been found to play a critical role in the regulation of parenting behavior, according to a new study by UCLA researchers. Differences in this brain region between males and females help to explain why the two sexes behave differently as parents. Parenting is a prevalent social behavior shared across the animal kingdom, from invertebrates to humans, and is critical to the survival of offspring. In humans, parental support plays a crucial role in the physical and mental health of children and adolescents and has important implications for well-being in later life. An important feature of parenting is that the two sexes behave differently as parents. Scientists have not previously known how the brain differentially regulates parenting between males and females. An in-depth understanding of the brain mechanisms of parenting has wide-ranging implications for human health and disease. Also, understanding sex differences in the brain and their behavioral relevance is critical for improving the treatment of brain disorders because there are significant differences between males and females in the prevalence and symptoms of many disorders.