New research from neuroscientist Samuel Weiss, PhD, director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the Faculty of Medicine, shows that paternal mice that physically interact with their babies grow new brain cells and form lasting memories of their babies. The study is published online in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Weiss and his team find that when paternal mice interact with their newborn babies, new brain cells develop in the olfactory bulb, the part of the brain responsible for sense of smell, and in the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory. Weeks after the fathers are separated from their babies they still demonstrate that bond and are able to distinguish their offspring from unrelated mice. If fathers are prevented from physical interactions with their babies, no new neurons or memories are formed and they cannot recognize their offspring.
Previous research has shown that adult humans also have the capacity to generate new brain cells in the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus and that human fathers exhibit more affection and attachment and fewer ignoring behaviors toward children whose smell they can identify.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100510092059.htm
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This is very interesting to know that human fathers can also gain new brain cells by interacting with their children. A very interesting study.
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