How emotion-related brain circuits shape new mothers' caregiving
Official title: The Role of Corticolimbic Circuits in Maternal Behavior
Funded at Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. · NIH-11361778 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how changes in emotion-related brain circuits after childbirth affect mothers' stress responses and caregiving.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Piscataway, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $56,564 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD113761-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361778 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
New mothers or people who recently gave birth who are experiencing high stress, anxiety, or difficulties with bonding would be most directly relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant or postpartum, or whose health issues are unrelated to stress, emotion, or caregiving, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project studies how corticolimbic (emotion and stress) brain regions interact with core maternal brain areas after childbirth. Researchers will use genetic tools and neural-circuit mapping in lab models to trace specific neuron populations and measure changes in synaptic function and gene activity. They will link those brain changes to behaviors related to maternal care, threat responses, and stress handling. Findings are intended to reveal biological mechanisms that could guide future ways to support mothers' emotional health and parenting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new approaches to help mothers manage stress and strengthen bonding with their infants.
How similar studies have gone: Animal and clinical studies have suggested links between corticolimbic circuits and maternal mood or caregiving, but applying circuit-level discoveries to human therapies remains early-stage.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
Piscataway, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shumyatsky, Gleb P — Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
- Study coordinator: Shumyatsky, Gleb P
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.