Hormone-mediated neural remodeling orchestrates parenting onset during pregnancy

During pregnancy, physiological adaptations prepare the female body for the challenges of motherhood. Becoming a parent also requires behavioral adaptations. Such adaptations can occur as early as during pregnancy, but how pregnancy hormones remodel parenting circuits to instruct preparatory behavio...

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Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 382; no. 6666; p. 76
Main Authors: Ammari, Rachida, Monaca, Francesco, Cao, Mingran, Nassar, Estelle, Wai, Patty, Del Grosso, Nicholas A, Lee, Matthew, Borak, Neven, Schneider-Luftman, Deborah, Kohl, Johannes
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 06.10.2023
Subjects:
Animals
Estradiol - physiology
Female
Maternal Behavior - physiology
Maternal Behavior - psychology
Mice
Models, Animal
Neurons - metabolism
Neurons - physiology
Parenting - psychology
Pregnancy
Preoptic Area - cytology
Preoptic Area - physiology
Progesterone - physiology
ISSN:1095-9203, 1095-9203
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:During pregnancy, physiological adaptations prepare the female body for the challenges of motherhood. Becoming a parent also requires behavioral adaptations. Such adaptations can occur as early as during pregnancy, but how pregnancy hormones remodel parenting circuits to instruct preparatory behavioral changes remains unknown. We found that action of estradiol and progesterone on galanin (Gal)-expressing neurons in the mouse medial preoptic area (MPOA) is critical for pregnancy-induced parental behavior. Whereas estradiol silences MPOA neurons and paradoxically increases their excitability, progesterone permanently rewires this circuit node by promoting dendritic spine formation and recruitment of excitatory synaptic inputs. This MPOA -specific neural remodeling sparsens population activity in vivo and results in persistently stronger, more selective responses to pup stimuli. Pregnancy hormones thus remodel parenting circuits in anticipation of future behavioral need.
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ISSN:1095-9203
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.adi0576