jasmine
03-29-2010, 07:34 PM
http://www.aolhealth.com/2010/03/29/study-some-woman-born-to-be-bad-mothers/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl5|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2F2010% 2F03%2F29%2Fstudy-some-woman-born-to-be-bad-mothers%2F
Study: Some Women Born to Be Bad Mothers
Are some women just destined to be bad mothers?
It appears so, a new study indicates.
Researchers from Virginia's University of Richmond say that some women are just biologically programmed with a "bad mothering" brain switch.
Craig Kinsley, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Richmond, said his study found that women develop a cluster of brain cells -- called maternal neurons -- during pregnancy. After the baby is born, these brain cells are then "switched on," resulting in good or bad parenting skills.
"We believe that a certain number of these 'maternal neurons' need to be 'switched on' for good mothering to take place," Kinsley said, according to NewsCore -- an international wire service owned by News Corp.
"Our research showed that the mothers with fewer than this number of 'maternal neurons' tended to neglect or abuse their offspring, while those animals with the lowest numbers actually savaged or killed their own young," he said.
Researchers used brain-scanning techniques to locate the maternal neurons. But not everyone agrees with the study's findings.
"There is no single factor that determines maternal behavior," said Alison Fleming, Ph.D., director of the Center for the Study of the Psychobiology of Maternal Behavior at the University of Toronto.
"The idea that a woman's brain is 'hardwired' in such a way that she will abuse her children and that it is not within her power to refrain from doing wrong is based on a misunderstanding of neuroanatomy," she added. "All behavior is dictated by the brain, but the brain is formed in interaction with our environment."
Study: Some Women Born to Be Bad Mothers
Are some women just destined to be bad mothers?
It appears so, a new study indicates.
Researchers from Virginia's University of Richmond say that some women are just biologically programmed with a "bad mothering" brain switch.
Craig Kinsley, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Richmond, said his study found that women develop a cluster of brain cells -- called maternal neurons -- during pregnancy. After the baby is born, these brain cells are then "switched on," resulting in good or bad parenting skills.
"We believe that a certain number of these 'maternal neurons' need to be 'switched on' for good mothering to take place," Kinsley said, according to NewsCore -- an international wire service owned by News Corp.
"Our research showed that the mothers with fewer than this number of 'maternal neurons' tended to neglect or abuse their offspring, while those animals with the lowest numbers actually savaged or killed their own young," he said.
Researchers used brain-scanning techniques to locate the maternal neurons. But not everyone agrees with the study's findings.
"There is no single factor that determines maternal behavior," said Alison Fleming, Ph.D., director of the Center for the Study of the Psychobiology of Maternal Behavior at the University of Toronto.
"The idea that a woman's brain is 'hardwired' in such a way that she will abuse her children and that it is not within her power to refrain from doing wrong is based on a misunderstanding of neuroanatomy," she added. "All behavior is dictated by the brain, but the brain is formed in interaction with our environment."