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Nurturing Nature: Social Experiences and the Brain
Author(s) -
Champagne Frances A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2009.01901.x
Subject(s) - nature versus nurture , offspring , brain development , developmental psychology , inheritance (genetic algorithm) , psychology , paternal care , gene , biology , genetics , neuroscience , pregnancy
Summary How does ‘nurture’ change the brain? Recent evidence suggests that maternal care may shape the infant brain by turning genes ‘on’ or ‘off’ during development. Some of the genes affected are important for maternal and social behaviour leading to long‐term changes in the nurturing behaviour of offspring. These studies provide new insights into the inheritance of behaviour and the interactions between genes and the social environment across the lifespan.