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Review
. 2013 Apr-Jun;11(2):256-60.
doi: 10.1590/s1679-45082013000200021.

Maternal behavior in basic science: translational research and clinical applicability

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Gabriel Natan Pires, Sergio Tufik, Márcia Giovenardi, Monica Levy Andersen
Review

Maternal behavior in basic science: translational research and clinical applicability

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Gabriel Natan Pires et al. Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2013 Apr-Jun.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Clinical aspects of the mother-infant relationship and related issues are well studied and very relevant to medical practice. Nevertheless, some approaches in this context cannot plausibly be investigated in humans due to their ethical implications and to the potential harm to the mother's and child's health. Studies on maternal behavior in animals have evident importance to some clinical fields, such as psychiatry and psychology, particularly considering topics, including mother-infant relationship, postpartum depression, cognitive and behavioral development of children, and associated issues. Hence, this theoretical article draws attention to the clinical applicability of studies about maternal behavior in animals to psychobiology, taking into account a translational perspective.

Os aspectos clínicos da relação materno-infantil e assuntos a eles associados são suficientemente bem estudados e conhecidos, e de grande importância à prática médica. Contudo, algumas abordagens de pesquisa, nesse contexto, não podem ser feitas em seres humanos de forma plausível, devido a implicações éticas e ao potencial dano à saúde, tanto da mãe quanto da criança. Os estudos sobre comportamento materno em animais apresentam importância evidente em áreas clínicas, como psiquiatria e psicologia, particularmente quando considerados temas como relação materno-infantil, depressão pós-parto, desenvolvimento cognitivo e comportamental infantil, entre outros. Portanto, este ensaio teórico chama atenção para a aplicabilidade clínica de estudos sobre comportamento materno feitos em animais de experimentação em psicobiologia, considerando uma perspectiva translacional.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Key concepts regarding the translation of basic findings on maternal behavior to human mother-infant relationship and associated issues
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