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The effects of medial preoptic area and amygdala lesions on maternal behavior in the juvenile rat
Author(s) -
Oxley Gina,
Fleming Alison S.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/1098-2302(2000)37:4<253::aid-dev6>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - juvenile , amygdala , psychology , hypothalamus , developmental psychology , endocrinology , medicine , physiology , biology , neuroscience , ecology
The present study was designed to determine whether the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and the amygdala (AMYG) are involved in the expression of ``maternal'' behavior in juvenile rats as they are in the adult. Juveniles show many behaviors that are similar to the maternal behaviors shown by the postpartum female rat. Whether these behaviors are social in function, as opposed to parental, and hence mediated by different mechanisms from those regulating adult maternal behavior is not known. To test the roles of the MPOA and AMYG in mediating these behaviors, 21‐day‐old female juvenile rats received MPOA, AMYG, or SHAM (MPOA/AMYG) lesions and were tested at 22 days of age for maternal and other responses to pups. Major findings demonstrate that MPOA lesions disrupt components of maternal behavior, including retrieving and nest building, while AMYG lesions facilitate these behaviors. These findings indicate striking similarities between the juvenile and rat brain for parental responding. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 37: 253–265, 2000