Maternal defense against intruders changes her subsequent maternal behavior and neural circuitry
Patrese A. Robinson-Drummer, Sandra Luz, Deep Patel, Gordon Barr, Seema Bhatnagar
This study shows that repeated maternal defense against intruders disrupts maternal behavior and neural circuits in rats, with specific effects on the prefrontal cortex and amygdala-dPAG pathway.
bioRxiv · Jul 6, 2026 · PreprintAnimal Behavior & Cognition