The UJI proves that placental lactogens act during pregnancy and cause maternal aggressiveness before delivery



[Valencià](/upo/rest/publicacion/idioma/ca?urlRedirect=https://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&url=/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&urlRedirect=http://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/ "Cambiar idioma a català")
[Español](/upo/rest/publicacion/idioma/es?urlRedirect=https://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&url=/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&urlRedirect=http://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/ "Cambiar idioma a español")
[English](#0)

Mobile menu

* [Profile](#0)
  + [Future students](/perfils/futurs/)
  + [UJI students](/perfils/estudiantat/uji/)
  + [PDI-PI](/perfils/pdipas/base/pdi/)
  + [PTGAS](/perfils/pdipas/base/pas/)
  + [AlumniSAUJI](/serveis/alumnisauji/)
  + [Companies and institutions](/perfils/empresa/)
* [Tools](#0)
  + [Virtual Classroom](https://aulavirtual.uji.es/)
  + [CAU](https://cau.uji.es/)
  + [Directory](//www.uji.es/institucional/contacta/)
  + [Gmail](http://gmail.uji.es/)
  + [Intranet (IGLU)](//www.uji.es/upo/rest/iglu/)
  + [Virtual Office](/seu/)
  + [Academic information (SIA)](http://sia.uji.es/)
  + [Others](//www.uji.es/serveis/scp/eines/)
* [Valencià](/upo/rest/publicacion/idioma/ca?urlRedirect=https://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&url=/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&urlRedirect=http://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/ "Cambiar idioma a català")
  [Español](/upo/rest/publicacion/idioma/es?urlRedirect=https://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&url=/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/&urlRedirect=http://www.uji.es/com/investigacio/arxiu/noticies/2017/1/agressivitat-maternal/ "Cambiar idioma a español")
  [English](#0)

[# Universitat Jaume I](/)

* [# Universitat Jaume I](/)
* [Profile](#0)
  + [Future students](/perfils/futurs/)
  + [UJI students](/perfils/estudiantat/uji/)
  + [PDI-PI](/perfils/pdipas/base/pdi/)
  + [PTGAS](/perfils/pdipas/base/pas/)
  + [AlumniSAUJI](/serveis/alumnisauji/)
  + [Companies and institutions](/perfils/empresa/)
* [Tools](#0)
  + [Virtual Classroom](https://aulavirtual.uji.es/)
  + [CAU](https://cau.uji.es/)
  + [Directory](//www.uji.es/institucional/contacta/)
  + [Gmail](http://gmail.uji.es/)
  + [Intranet (IGLU)](//www.uji.es/upo/rest/iglu/)
  + [Virtual Office](/seu/)
  + [Academic information (SIA)](http://sia.uji.es/)
  + [Others](//www.uji.es/serveis/scp/eines/)
* [Studies](/mapa/estudis/)
  + [Studies](/mapa/estudis/)
  + [Bachelor’s degrees](/estudis/)
  + [University master’s degrees](/estudis/?p_estudio=m)
  + [Doctoral studies](/estudis/oferta/doctorat/)
  + [Lifelong learning](/estudis/base/formacio-permanent/)
* [Research and innovation](/investigacio/)
  + [Research and innovation](/investigacio/)
  + [Research portal](/investigacio/)
  + [Innovation](/innovacio/)
  + [Doctoral studies](/centres/escola-doctorat/)
  + [HRS4R](/investigacio/hrs4r/)
* [International](/internacional/)
  + [International](/internacional/)
  + [International Students](/internacional/base/estudiantat/estudiantado-internacional/)
  + [Exchange Programmes](/serveis/ori/base/programes-intercanvi/)
  + [Study Abroad](/internacional/base/study-abroad/)
* [UJI](/mapa/uji/)
  + [UJI](/mapa/uji/)
  + [Get to know the UJI](/mapa/uji/coneix-uji/)
  + [Structure and organisation](/institucional/estructura/)
  + [Strategy and quality](/institucional/estrategia/)
  + [Transparency](/transparencia/)
  + [Public integrity](/transparencia/liniaetica/)
  + [News](/actualitat/)
  + [Contact the UJI](/institucional/contacta/)
* [University life](/mapa/vida-universitaria/)
  + [University life](/mapa/serveis/)
  + [Library](/serveis/cd/)
  + [Campus](/mapa/uji/coneix-uji/campus/)
  + [Culture](/cultura/)
  + [Sports](/esports/)
  + [InfoCampus](/serveis/infocampus/)

[UJI](/)
[News](/com/sumari/noticies/)

## The UJI proves that placental lactogens act during pregnancy and cause maternal aggressiveness before delivery

24/01/2017 |
SCP

Compartir

Compartir

×

Linkedin

BlueSky

Facebook

Mastodon

Whatsapp

Gmail

Imprimir

![Aerial view of the campus](//static.uji.es/templates/uji2016_plantillas/static/images/campusaerea.jpg)

[Accept third-party cookies](#)

[Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/embed/f9qj4iF5KNM)

A research developed by the Functional Neuroanatomy Research Group (NeuroFun) at the Faculty of Health Sciences in the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) has shown that the hormone prolactin and the placental lactogens (prolactin-like hormones produced by the placenta) act on the female brain during gestation causing changes in mothers’ behaviour and mental function, including aggressiveness or motivation to care for the offspring. The conclusions of this work have been published in the journal *Brain Structure and Function*.

The scientific finding of the team of researchers led by the professor of Cell Biology Ferran Martínez-García reveals that maternal aggressiveness "is not produced by the interaction between the mother and her offspring, as was thought, but by the hormones that act on the brain before birth," states the researcher.

Moreover, the study is relevant because it proves the direct action of these hormones on the so-called *sociosexual brain*, which would increase an instinctive tendency to take care of children and protect them. In fact, knowing the place where hormones influence brain activity is the first step necessary to understand possible pathological processes related to motherhood and to be able to treat them.

UJI scientists have used female mice to map the prolactin-sensitive brain regions and placental lactogens throughout the reproductive cycle, especially during the gestation and lactation periods. At the same time, they have also replicated the study in virgin females to check the differences in their reaction.

"In order to carry out this mapping, we have used a technique that detects cells that respond successfully to hormones such as prolactin, that is key to triggering all processes linked to motherhood," explains Hugo Salais López, first author of the work, which is part of his doctoral thesis conducted under the co-direction of professors Ferran Martínez-García and Carmen Agustín Pavón.

**HYPER-AGGRESSIVENESS TO DEFEND OFFSPRING**

The results of this research indicate that most centres of the sociosexual brain are hyper-activated by placental lactogens during pregnancy, so that at the time of delivery the female's brain function is modified to facilitate an exacerbate maternal attitude and behaviour. Previous and ongoing studies carried out by the researchers of NeuroFun at the UJI indicate that this results in hyper-aggressiveness to defend offspring from potentially dangerous intruders and in a high motivation to keep contact with the pups to cleanse them, shelter them and breastfeed them.

In addition to shedding light on the neurobiology of maternal behaviours, studies of this kind have much interest for their possible future applicability. The *hormonal storm* that occurs during pregnancy "can cause hormones to act in a disorderly way, thus generating mood alterations related to both pre- and postpartum depressive states," adds Martínez-García, who is also a lecturer at the UJI Master's Degree in Research in Brain and Behaviour and member of the Departmental Unit of Medicine.

This study integrates into one of the research lines of NeuroFun at the UJI focused on the analysis of the brain circuits responsible for the expression of instinctive behaviours with a strong emotional burden such as social behaviours. NeuroFun lab has contributed to clarify the circuits and neurotransmitters related to pheromone-mediated sexual attraction in mice by combining techniques of behaviour analysis with assessment of brain’s function, neurochemistry and structure.

Currently, NeuroFun members are investigating the role of the amygdala, an ancient brain centre, in the response of females to stimuli of pups and adult individuals before and after gestation. In this sense, researchers are interested in understanding the role of hormones in the changes that occur in these responses of females during pregnancy, delivery and lactation.

Salais-López, H.; Lanuza, E.; Agustín-Pavón, C.; Martínez-García, F.: “[Tuning the brain for motherhood: prolactin-like central signalling in virgin, pregnant, and lactating female mice”*.*](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27344140) *Brain Struct Funct*. 2016 Jun 25, doi: 10.1007/s00429-016-1254-5

[Videonews](https://youtu.be/f9qj4iF5KNM)

Information provided by:
[Communication and Publications Service](/serveis/scp/)

About us

[Home](/com/investigacio/cienciauji/)
[UCC+I](/serveis/scp/ucc/)

Research dissemination

[Ciència TV blog](/com/investigacio/arxiu/ciencia-uji-tv/)
[Ciència UJI newsletter](/com/investigacio/arxiu/ciencia-uji/)
[Horizon Europe newsletter](/com/investigacio/docs/butlleti-horizon-europe/)
[Comboi, a trip through science](/com/investigacio/docs/podcast-comboi-viatge-per-la-ciencia/)
[Scientific news](/com/investigacio/sumari/noticies/ )
[Easy reading news](/com/investigacio/docs/noticies-de-lectura-facil)
[News magazine. Research](/com/revista/tematica/investiga/)
[Radio](http://www.radio.uji.es/programa.php?id=46 )

Scientific divulgation

[Experimenta UJI](/com/investigacio/docs/experimenta-uji/)
[Innobar, con b de bar (Espaitec)](https://espaitec.uji.es/podcast-innobar-con-b-de-bar/)
[Magazine «Humanes i Socials»](https://humanesisocials.uji.es)
[H2020 Projects](/com/investigacio/docs/butlleti-h2020/)
[Projects and papers COVID-19](/com/investigacio/docs/estudis-articles-covid-19/)
[Research pitches](/com/investigacio/research-pitches/)
[The Conversation](/com/investigacio/docs/the-conversation/)
[UJI Divulga (Onda Cero)](/com/investigacio/docs/uji-divulga-onda-cero/)
[Scientific vocabulary](/com/investigacio/docs/vocabulari-cientific/)

Projects and studies

[Projects and studies](/serveis/scp/ucc/projectes/)

Resources of interest

[Divulgateca](http://www.divulgateca.es)

External networks

[CRUE](https://www.crue.org/)
[FECYT](https://www.fecyt.es/es/info/que-son)
[RUVID](https://ruvid.org/)



Useful links

[University card](http://www.carnet.uji.es/)

[Multimedia catalogue](http://jecom.uji.es/)

[University press](/serveis/scp/publ/)

[Web map](//www.uji.es/mapa/)

[Educational model](//www.uji.es/institucional/estrategia/modeleducatiu/)

[Language Observatory](/serveis/ol/)

[Open Knowledge Portal](/serveis/cd/bib/pco/)

[UJI shop](http://www.tenda.uji.es/)

[Security and privacy center](https://www.uji.es/organs/ouag/sg/docs/politiques/gen/)
|
[Website legal notice](https://www.uji.es/comu/avislegal/avislegalicondicions/)
|
[Accessibility policy](https://www.uji.es/serveis/ura/base/accessibilitat/)

Information and queries:
[UJI suggestion box](/comu/forms/bustia)

Universitat Jaume I CIF: Q-6250003-H Av. Vicent Sos Baynat, s/n 12071
Castellón de la Plana,
España

Tel.: +34 964 72 80 00