Fathers’ Brains Change for Role as Primary Caregiver
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The brains of fathers who become the primary caregiver for their children show similar patterns to those seen more regularly in mothers, according to a study testing the neurological basis of parenting.
The amygdala, responsible in the brain for vigilance and reward, becomes more engaged for fathers involved in caregiving, in much the same way as it is for mothers, research pubished today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found. Similarly, an area responsible for interpreting a child’s needs also shows an increase in activity.