NMDA lesions in the prefrontal cortex delay the onset of maternal, but not infanticidal behavior in pup-naïve adult mice (C57BL/6).

Abstract

While most pup-naïve adult female mice can display, or be induced (by repeated exposure to pups) to display parental behavior rapidly, adult males are infanticidal or nonparental. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) participates in attentional selection, decision-making, behavioral flexibility, and planning that may be critical in the rapid display of parental or infanticidal behavior. We investigated if NMDA-induced lesions in the mPFC (targeting prelimbic cortex) inhibited maternal or infanticidal behavior in pup-naïve adult female and male mice (C57BL/6), respectively. All Control females displayed full maternal behavior at the first encounter with pups. Lesioned female groups were partially maternal (50%) or nonmaternal (50%). Five repeated exposures of 60-min to pups were needed to induce full maternal behavior in female NMDA-lesioned groups. Control and lesioned males did not show significant differences. Control males displayed nonparental (17%) or infanticidal (83%) behavior, while all lesioned males were infanticidal. There was no difference in general locomotor and exploratory activity (i.e., peripheral crosses, rearings, immobility time) in female or male groups. Nevertheless, females and males of lesioned groups showed a reduction in the number of central crosses and time in the central area of an open field respectively, suggesting an increase in anxiety. Our results show that the mPFC is engaged in the rapid onset of maternal behavior in females, contributing with the motivation and planning of its rapid execution, or reducing the anxiety to the first encounter with pups. In contrast, infanticidal behavior, likely a more impulsive behavior, might require less planning from the mPFC.

The medial prefrontal regulation of maternal behavior across postpartum: A triadic model.

“…They suggested that dams with mPFC lesions might show deficits in integrating motor and sensory information and filtering out irrelevant stimuli, consistent with the general role of the mPFC in executive function. More recently, Alsina-Llanes and Olazábal (2021) investigated whether cell-specific mPFC lesions (targeting prelimbic cortex) delayed the onset of maternal behavior in pup-naïve adult female mice (C57BL/6). All control females displayed full maternal behavior at the first encounter with pups, while only 50% of lesioned females did.…”

PVN-mPFC OT projections modulates pup-directed pup care or attacking in virgin mandarin voles

“…A study on virgin male and female mice found that the mPFC lesion (targeting the prelimbic cortex) significantly affected number of females and males showing pup cares and infanticide. 50% females in lesioned group exhibited maternal while 100% of sham operated groups show maternal care, whereas the 100% lesioned males exhibited infanticide, 83% of control males showed infanticide (Alsina-Llanes & Olazábal, 2021). It has been reported that the mPFC is highly activated in human mothers when they hear cry from their babies (Lorberbaum et al, 2002).…”

“…The mPFC is involved in attention switching, decision-making, behavioral flexibility and planning, making it potentially crucial for rapidly expressing pup care or infanticide behavior (Alsina-Llanes & Olazábal, 2021). It has been reported that the mPFC is highly activated in human mothers when they hear cry from their babies (Lorberbaum et al, 2002).…”