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The parental brain: A neural framework for study of teaching in humans and other animals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2015

Hesun Erin Kim ,
Adrianna Torres-Garcia  and
James E. Swain
Hesun Erin Kim
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. erinkim@umich.eduatorresg@med.umich.edu
Adrianna Torres-Garcia
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. erinkim@umich.eduatorresg@med.umich.edu
James E. Swain
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. erinkim@umich.eduatorresg@med.umich.edu Department of Psychology and Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. jamesswa@med.umich.eduhttp://www.psych.med.umich.edu/profile/?linkid=jamesswa Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520.
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Abstract

Parenting, conceptualized as a specific form of teaching, may inform mentalistic, culture-based, and functional definitions. Combined brain-imaging, hormone-measurement, and cognitive-behavioral analyses indicate the importance of mentalization circuits. These circuits appear to function according to culture, and cross animal species. Further, these approaches shed light on sex differences through work on fathers as well as mothers, are affected by psychopathology, and may be amenable to treatment in ways that may be applied to optimize teaching.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 38 , 2015 , e45
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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