Testosterone and Prolactin Are Associated with Emotional Responses to Infant Cries in New Fathers

Fleming, Alison S.; Corter, Carl; Stallings, Joy F.; Steiner, Meir

doi:10.1006/hbeh.2002.1840

Cited by 335 publications

(267 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…None of these studies specifically focused on responsiveness to infant crying in response to the prolactin administration. While evidence for prolactin release associated with infant crying in human mothers appears to be lacking, human fathers do show a relationship between their emotional responses to infant crying and prolactin levels [28]. One study has reported that crying increases the temperature of the lactating breast [116].…”

Section: Relationships Between Infant Crying and Parental Hormonesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many types of studies that are part of the large field of cry research can contribute. With respect to hormonal modulation of the responsiveness to cries, evidence exists in humans [28] and non-human primates [94,95,96] that hormonal status influences responsiveness to cries. This work supplements the extensive evidence using rodents as research subjects that hormonal status has a profound influence on maternal responsiveness to infants, some of which was reviewed earlier in this paper.…”

Section: Suggestions For Future Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neural circuits underlying crying and cry responding in mammals

Newman

2007

Behavioural Brain Research

182

132

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Crying is a universal vocalization in human infants, as well as in the infants of other mammals. Little is known about the neural structures underlying cry production, or the circuitry that mediates a caregiver's response to cry sounds. In this review, the specific structures known or suspected to be involved in this circuit are identified, along with neurochemical systems and hormones for which evidence suggests a role in responding to infants and infant cries. In addition, evidence that crying elicits parental responses in different mammals is presented. An argument is made for including 'crying' as a functional category in the vocal repertoire of all mammalian infants (and the adults of some species). The prevailing neural model for crying production considers forebrain structures to be dispensable. However, evidence for the anterior cingulate gyrus in cry production, and this structure along with the amygdala and some other forebrain areas in responding to cries is presented.

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Section: Relationships Between Infant Crying and Parental Hormonesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Suggestions For Future Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neural circuits underlying crying and cry responding in mammals

Newman

2007

Behavioural Brain Research

182

132

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…When presented with infant stimuli, human males who have experienced couvade (male pregnancy symptoms) also have shown the greatest decrease in testosterone (Storey et al 2000). Fathers with decreased testosterone have a greater need to respond to infant stimuli compared with non-fathers or males who did not have offspring of their own when tested with infant cries (Fleming et al 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure to infant scent lowers serum testosterone in father common marmosets ( Callithrix jacchus )

et al. 2008

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Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) males are bi-parental non-human primates that show extensive paternal behaviour. Fathers are in direct sensory contact with their infants during the natal period. We found that fathers exposed to isolated scents of their infant displayed a significant drop in serum testosterone levels within 20 min after exposure, whereas parentally naive males did not. These data suggest that infant's scent may have a causal role in regulating paternal testosterone in their fathers. This is the first study to demonstrate that olfactory cues have an acute effect on paternal care.

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“…In cotton-top tamarins, estradiol may play a role in promoting paternal care (Ziegler et al, 2004; see also Trainor and Marler, 2002). An association between prolactin levels and paternal and alloparental care has been investigated in birds (Garcia et al, 1996;Schoech et al, 1996), rodents (Gubernick and Nelson, 1989;Brown et al, 1995), New World primates (Dixson and George, 1982;Ziegler et al, 1996;Mota and Sousa, 2000), and humans (Storey et al, 2000;Fleming et al, 2002), showing an elevation in prolactin levels among animals participating in infant care. Among callitrichids, prolactin levels increases following infant carrying (common marmosets: Dixson and George, 1982;Mota and Sousa, 2000;Roberts et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hormonal changes related to paternal and alloparental care in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Mota

Franci

Sousa

2006

Hormones and Behavior

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The physiological mechanisms of parental and alloparental care in cooperatively breeding nonhuman primate species such as the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) are poorly known. In this study, we examined prolactin and cortisol plasma levels of fathers and older offspring of both sexes, with and without previous experience in infant carrying, around parturition and during infant carrying. Blood samples were collected from fathers and older offspring and prolactin and cortisol were measured by RIA and EIA, respectively. Prolactin levels of both caretakers were not influenced by infant's birth, previous experience or proximity to parturition. However, prolactin levels increased in both caretakers while in physical contact with infants and also with the number of infants being carried in older offspring. These findings suggest that increased prolactin seems to be mainly due to physical effort rather than a physiological trigger of paternal and alloparental care in common marmosets. Cortisol levels were higher for experienced fathers shortly before parturition which could act to reinforce affiliative bonds between breeding males and females at this time or in the ability of males to detect the proximity of the parturition or both. D

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Testosterone and Prolactin Are Associated with Emotional Responses to Infant Cries in New Fathers

Cited by 335 publications

References 38 publications

Neural circuits underlying crying and cry responding in mammals

Neural circuits underlying crying and cry responding in mammals

Exposure to infant scent lowers serum testosterone in father common marmosets ( Callithrix jacchus )

Hormonal changes related to paternal and alloparental care in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

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