Plasticity of the parental brain

Parental behavior, like other instinctive behaviors, must strike a delicate balance between robustness and flexibility to ensure offspring survival in dynamic environments. While core features of parenting are genetically programmed, they can be modulated by the hormonal changes accompanying pregnancy and parturition, as well as by social experience. How such behavioral flexibility arises from plasticity within the underlying neural circuits is a topic of intense investigation. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding the multi-level plasticity of the parental brain in both males and females. We highlight emerging principles of hormone- and experience-driven circuit remodeling and discuss key challenges and opportunities for future research in this rapidly evolving field.