Stress, brains and bairns: reviews from the 4th International Conference on the Parental Brain.

摘要

The 4th International Conference on the Parental Brain was held in Edinburgh from 1st to 4th September 2010. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the recent developments in the neurobiological and behavioural adaptations occurring in preparation for parenthood, the interactions between parents and new offspring (before and after birth) and the impact of sub-optimal conditions (e.g. maternal stress) on offspring quality of life. The meeting had four main themes: maternal adaptations in pregnancy and lactation, parental behaviour, early-life programming and perinatal influences on mental health. The latter two topics will be the focus of this themed issue of Stress. The contributions include a collection of review articles and original research reports from delegates who presented their work at the 4th International Conference on the Parental Brain and encompass research from both basic and clinical perspectives.