The Neuroscience of Maternal Infanticide in Females.

A new study in mice has identified a middle-brain region called the principal nucleus of the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNSTpr) that is linked to the control of emotions and likely prompts females to kill their young. The study showed that chemically blocking the BNSTpr prevented infanticide nearly 100% of the time, while artificially activating the brain region caused both mothers and females without offspring to kill pups in nearly all trials. The investigation also revealed that the BNSTpr appears to work in opposition to a brain region called the medial preoptic area (MPOA), itself known to promote mothering behavior.