Researchers from the Yerkes National Primate Research Center published a study on Thursday that said animal and human parenting  share numerous nervous system mechanisms. A better understanding of the systems could result in better social development that would benefit future generations of animals and men.

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In the article, Larry Young, PhD, and James Rilling, PhD, review the biological mechanisms that control changes in mammals' parental stimulus - met initially with hostility towards its young that is converted into undeniable attraction after giving birth. They said the same hormones that prepare the uterus for pregnancy, initiate labor, and stimulate milk production also trigger the specific neural pathways to convince the parents to bond with, take care of, and protect their offspring, according to Phys.org.

"We have learned a tremendous amount about the specific hormonal and brain mechanisms regulating parental behavior and how parental nurturing influences the development of the offspring brain by using animal models, and many of these same mechanisms influence human parenting behavior as well," Young said.

Young is the division chief of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders at the research center and is also the author of "The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex and the Science of Attraction," which summarized the similarities between the human and animal brain mechanisms that control sexual and parenting behaviors.

Rilling, an associate professor in Emory's Department of Anthropology and a researcher at Yerkes said that the human brain possesses mechanisms that supports parent-child bonding, and if working properly, the processes make the development of a sound mental health and secure attachment easier, and that is passed on through generations.

The scientists made nine categories in their review, including a comparison of parental care in humans, two which focused on care by fathers, two on the effect of parenting on social development, and two on oxytocin and parenting.

"With this comprehensive review, we can see nervous system correlations across species that result in positive and negative parental care," Young said. "This information is critical to further studying social development in order to facilitate positive parental behaviors that will benefit generations to come."

TagsParenting, Animals, Mammals, Research, Science, Hormones, brain