Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas found that limited nesting materials were associated with changes in brain activity in mother rats, with the pattern depending on their behavior and whether their pups were nearby.
The study appeared Oct. 5 in JNeurosci. According to a Society for Neuroscience release, Millie Rincón-Cortés and colleagues examined neurons involved in motivation and interactions with pups.
Rats with less bedding showed increased activity in those neurons before and during harmful behavior toward their pups. When separated from their pups, these mothers showed lower activity than rats with adequate nesting materials.