Title: Hypothalamic circuits underlying the emergence of maternal states

Maternal behaviors are critical adaptive responses essential for the survival and well-being of the offspring. These behaviors are multifaceted, mainly comprising protective behaviors, such as aggression towards unfamiliar adults, and nurturing behaviors towards offspring. Although both behaviors are enhanced during motherhood, the neural mechanisms that control these behaviors, and importantly, how they are coordinated, are not well understood. Our preliminary work has identified a novel role for ventrolateral hypothalamic (VMHvl) Npy2r+ neurons in regulating both aspects of maternal behavior, indicating this population may function as a hub for coordinating distinct maternal behaviors. The goal of this project is twofold. First, I want to identify the functional role of this population for different maternal behaviors. Second, I want to understand the neural representations within this population for different social stimuli and behavior outputs across different reproductive life stages. This work will reveal how a “maternal state” emerges in the brain and alters behaviors in across life stages.