RIKEN and other groups have published research results showing that the ability of a species of monkey to accept the burden of child-rearing, such as continuing to carry a newborn child on its back, is related to the activation of specific neurons in the brain. did.
It is said that this result will lead to an understanding of human parenting.
This was announced by a research group led by RIKEN team leader Kumi Kuroda in the biology journal "Communication Biology."
The group conducted an experiment using a kind of monkey "common marmoset" to identify the part of the brain necessary to accept the burden of parenting.
As a result, it was found that specific nerve cells in the central part of the medial preoptic area of the brain were activated in monkeys who carried or held their children on their backs.
And when the function of this part was suppressed with drugs, the parents began to refuse to carry the child on a piggyback ride even when the child was crying, and the amount of time spent doing such things as piggybacking decreased.
The research group has revealed that the activation of neurons in this area is related to the acceptance of the burden associated with child-rearing.
Kuroda, the team leader, says, "This result will lead to the elucidation of the mechanism of accepting the burden of child-rearing. It is also expected that scientific understanding of behaviors such as child abuse and neglect will advance."