A brain channel's role in mother-infant bonding
Trpc5-activated neural circuits and maternal behavior
This project looks at whether a specific brain protein helps mothers bond with and care for their babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11402428 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers found rare TRPC5 gene changes in some women who have trouble bonding with their infants and made a mouse that carries the same change to learn how it affects maternal care. They will watch maternal behaviors like nursing, nest building, and pup retrieval, measure hormone responses such as prolactin, and use brain mapping to see if the TRPC5 channel turns on oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus. The team uses genetic tools including CRISPR to mimic the human mutation and detailed behavioral and physiological testing in mice to trace which neural circuits are affected. Results are intended to connect a human genetic finding to specific brain mechanisms that could explain impaired mother-infant bonding.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women experiencing difficulties bonding with their infants, especially those with genetic testing showing TRPC5 changes, would be the most directly relevant group.
Not a fit: People whose parenting challenges are primarily due to social, economic, or non-biological causes, or who have unrelated medical conditions, may not receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new biological targets for diagnosing or treating mothers who have difficulty bonding with their infants.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human genetics and mouse work linked TRPC5 to maternal behaviors, but using this knowledge to target the underlying brain circuit is a new and largely untested approach.
Where this research is happening
Tampa, United States
- University of South Florida — Tampa, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Yong — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Xu, Yong
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.