“…A rising literature demonstrates the role of maternal ( Dell and Rose, 1987 ; Arai et al, 2009 ; Leshem and Schulkin, 2012 ; Caporali et al, 2014 , 2015 ; Cutuli et al, 2015 , 2017 , 2018 ) or paternal ( Mashoodh et al, 2012 ; Mychasiuk et al, 2012 ; Dezsi et al, 2016 ; Short et al, 2017 ; Yeshurun et al, 2017 ) enrichment “before conception” (i.e., during the pre-reproductive period) in modifying the neurobiological and behavioral profile of the offspring. Since early nurturing experiences may influence brain plasticity and alter epigenome ( Meaney, 2010 ; Weaver et al, 2017 ), part of these studies have also evaluated if the effects of pre-reproductive parental enrichment on offspring’s phenotype were mediated by modifications of maternal behavior ( Mashoodh et al, 2012 ; Caporali et al, 2015 ; Cutuli et al, 2015 , 2017 , 2018 ; Short et al, 2017 ; Yeshurun et al, 2017 ).…”