Posted on 02/18/2023 1:50:35 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Prairie voles mate for life.
In addition to their humanlike inclination to stick with a mate, a rarity among mammals, prairie voles have a number of other similarities to us, including similar organs and neurological pathways, and many of the same genes.
A journal study has shown that prairie voles don't form the pair-bonds they're famous for if they're born via cesarean section.
The study comes with a caveat, though, adding to the intrigue: If the researchers intervened with an emergency dose of the hormone oxytocin upon delivery, the prairie voles would retain the ability to pair-bond at maturity.
Carter has long asserted that changes in hormones and gene expression must occur in order for social bonds to not only form, but endure.
The finding that prairie voles can't pair-bond after C-section unless helped along by oxytocin could have implications for obstetricians. So far, though, the team is cautious about extrapolating to humans.
Currently, about a third of all births in the United States are by C-section. And about two-thirds of all birth inductions are with Pitocin, the synthetic form of oxytocin.
The C-section research also found that male prairie vole pups born by C-section were unable to regulate their body temperatures as well as voles born naturally. This led to abnormal behavior, such as not huddling as well for warmth. They also had altered gut biomes at adulthood, holding implications for oxytocin transfer and future behavior, Carter said.
"We don't yet know if the increased brain connectivity in males is good, bad or neutral," Perkeybile said, "only that it is different. From other work, we do know that these animals whose moms were treated with oxytocin just before giving birth, modeling labor induction in humans, are more social as adults."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
1/3 of births in the US are now cesarean.
I wonder if this may influence the society we now have.
I’m sorry, but the idea of prairie voles having a C-section is hilarious to me. Is this lab doing other unnecessary experiments on animals like Fauci did?
During my second pregnancy, my baby turned breech the last two weeks. Due to a uterine anomaly, they couldn’t attempt to turn her so I had an unplanned C-section. I had a harder time bonding with my first child, who was delivered naturally, than I did with my second baby, so in my case, the premise of the above experiment doesn’t hold water.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/of-voles-and-men-exploring-the-genetics-of-commitment
genetics may also play a part.
Since the prairie vole has a life expectancy of two years, the process of bonding must by necessity occur quickly.
Human babies, in comparison to animals, are born extremely early in their development, because of the size of their heads. It stands to reason, therefore, that the process of bonding for human babies is much more drawn out.
While this vole info might be useful, its application to humans is probably limited.
bkmk
And I’ll bet the surgical procedure for a C Section on a tiny rodent is cute as the Dickens.
Of course this is purely anecdotal, but the family in question has always wondered what the heck had happened. I have spoken with them at length over many decades and they have often asked me to serve as intermediary for them with this person. The odd thing is that this person (born of a C-section) doesn't seem to understand what the problem is. His usual response as to the lack of closeness with his birth family is "I've been really busy."
This C-section issue is certainly worth digging into because it might lessen the heartache this family has experienced.
That's an insult to doctors who have spent years preparing for a specialty in vole obstetrics. And just when you are finally about to pay off your student loans, your eyesight begins to decline.
It has to do with the feminine consciousness of the mother being necessary to bond and attach to the child for survival. The same is true in humans.
They are not talking about mother/infant bonding, they are talking about the ability of the grown offspring to pair-bond with a mate.
This would not affect you, but instead, your kids’ ability to have a successful relationship.
Oxytocin. The cuddle chemical.
Didn’t seem to be a problem for me.
Similarly birds hatching themselves out of the egg are stronger than those that are helped.
I didn’t see in the article if the prairie vole mothers survive the c-section and are able to milk the offspring.
so how many liberals were delivered by cesarian...this could be a magic bullet when it comes to understanding the libs of tik Tok video
I was joking BTW.
Breastfeeding provides oxytocin. As well as other nutrients. It connects mother and child as nature intended. Me: two c-sections and two breastfed babies. Result: there was and is a lot of trust, even though that was long ago now. Even in hs and college, our kids trusted my judgment, more than many of their peers.
I hope La Leche League is still around.
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