Family Life on the Prairie

Karen L Bales

doi:10.3389/fnins.2010.00169

Abstract

Family Life on the Prairie

Highlights

The impact of early life family structure on adult social attachment, alloparental behavior, and the neuropeptide systems regulating affiliative behaviors in the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) by Todd H
Research on prairie voles and closely related polygynous species such as meadow and montane voles has illuminated the role of oxytocin and vasopressin as key neuropeptides regulating social behavior, and their role in the formation of selective social bonds (Witt et al, 1990; Winslow et al, 1993; Insel and Hulihan, 1995; Young et al, 2005)
Experiences of various kinds have long been studied by psychobiologists, most famously by Levine (Levine, 1957; Levine and Lewis, 1959) and Denenberg (Denenberg et al, 1962; Denenberg and Whimbey, 1963). It was something of a revelation when Meaney and colleagues, rather than manipulating early experience, began examining natural variation in maternal behavior of rat mothers, and showing long-lasting effects of this early experience on behavior, stress regulation, and neuropeptide systems (Francis et al, 1999; Meaney, 2001; Meaney and Szyf, 2005)

Summary

Introduction

The impact of early life family structure on adult social attachment, alloparental behavior, and the neuropeptide systems regulating affiliative behaviors in the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) by Todd H. The prairie vole has become a flagship species for the biomedical exploration of the neurobiology of social bonding (Carter et al, 1995; Young et al, 2005).

Results

Conclusion