ABSTRACT
Interacting parenting thoughts
and behaviors critically shape
human infants’ current and future
behavior. Indeed, the parent-infant
relationship provides infants with
their first social environment,
forming templates for what they
can expect from others and how
best to interact with them. This
paper focuses on the functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
experiments relevant to the study
of the brain-basis of parenting.
First there is a brief introduction to
techniques and a selective review
of functional neuroimaging studies
that examine fMRI responses to
infant stimuli: baby sounds or
visuals. Next, there is a sample
single-subject set of brain imaging
data of brain response to ownbaby-cry.
Finally, there is a
proposed model of how infant
stimuli activate parent brain
circuits, including sensory analysis
brain regions, as well as
corticolimbic circuits that regulate
motivation, reward, and learning
about their infants, and ultimately
organize parenting impulses,
thoughts, and emotions into