Stress-induced modulation of maternal behavior and mesolimbic dopamine function

In humans, maternal stress exposure is associated with compromised quality of mother–infant interactions and increased risk for affective disorders that impair maternal care. These effects have been recapitulated in rodent studies employing postpartum stressors. Here, I provide a brief overview of recent studies showing stress-induced alterations in maternal behaviors in both humans and rodents. In addition, I review current literature indicating a role for mesolimbic dopamine function in maternal sensitivity and goal-directed responses and discuss its disruption by stress exposure.