PSYC23H3 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Nucleus Accumbens, Preoptic Area, Master Control
Document Summary
Week 7: the biology of mammalian parenting and its effect on offspring social development. Hormones of reproduction create a hospitable intrauterine environment for fetal development. Hormones also orchestrate a set of neural systems to ensure maternal nurturing bonding and protection of young. Hormonal synchronization of physiology, brain, and behavior in rodents. Rise in circulating estrogen and progesterone secreted by the ovaries during pregnancy signals that parturition is eminent and maximizes brain sensitivity to oxytocin and prolactin by increasing production of their receptors. Medial pre-optic area (mpoa: region responsible for the transition from pup aversion to attraction at parturition through suppressing. Depositing hormones into the mpoa of virgin female rates facilitate maternal responsiveness, demonstrating the maternal behavior. Connection of the mpoa to mesolimbic dopaminergic ventral tegmental area (vta) plays role in maternal motivation. Vta connections lead to increased extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens during maternal care. D1 agonists in the nucleus accumbens induce maternal responsiveness without hormonal stimulation.
