The medial prefrontal regulation of maternal behavior across postpartum: A triadic model.

Maternal behavior is a highly motivated and adaptive social behavior. Its frequency and pattern change across the postpartum period in response to the changing characteristics of the young and psychophysiological state of the mother. In rodents, maternal behavior peaks shortly after parturition, remains stable for a certain period of time, and then declines gradually until weaning. These dramatic behavioral changes all happen within a 3- to 4-week period. This article reviews evidence on the role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the regulation of the postpartum maternal behavior cycle in rats. Based on this review, a triadic model is proposed to explain how the mPFC, functioning as an executive control system, organizes different patterned maternal responses in different stages of postpartum via its interactions with the maternal excitatory