Mother Mice Temporarily Access Aggression for Offspring Protection
A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications has revealed a fascinating mechanism behind how mother mice temporarily access aggressive behaviors, a trait not typically present in their usual repertoire. Led by Christian Broberger, Professor of Neurochemistry at Stockholm University, the research team discovered that a dormant brain circuit is activated by hormones during motherhood, enabling maternal aggression for the protection of offspring.
The study builds upon previous findings by Dayu Lin's team at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, which identified the neural circuits underlying aggressive behavior in female mice post-birth. Broberger's team found that oxytocin and prolactin hormones activate these circuits, allowing mice to defend against cage intruders.
To demonstrate this, the researchers silenced the aggression neurons in mother mice, preventing them from exhibiting defensive behaviors. This experiment highlighted the crucial role of these circuits in promoting maternal protection, a behavior vital for the survival of the offspring.
The study suggests a general principle of brain flexibility, where behaviors outside one's typical repertoire can be accessed when needed for survival. While conducted on mice, the human relevance of these findings should be interpreted with caution. However, the discovery of this hormone-sensitive circuit offers intriguing insights into the potential mechanisms behind temporary behavioral changes in mammals, including humans.
