In a second round of experiments, the researchers switched the offspring between the good and neglectful mothers. Rats born to neglectful mothers but raised by good mothers also scored well on the maze test and showed more neural connections. But rats born to attentive mothers but raised by indifferent mothers scored well, too. Meaney said the findings suggest that proper nurturing can strongly influence how the body carries out genetic instructions. Social scientists said the experiments help to explain the biological underpinnings of the mother-child relationship.
Young babies respond to the holding, the hugging, the touching.
Their brains grow, and it is important in the development of a trusting relationships.