YCSC Grand Rounds

This talk will explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying infant stress and attachment. Using rodent models, recent work has begun to identify neural populations that are selectively engaged during caregiver interaction and during separation-induced distress. These circuits integrate sensory cues from the caregiver with hypothalamic and limbic systems that regulate emotional state, physiological homeostasis, and learning.

The presenter will discuss how modern neuroscience approaches—including whole-brain activity mapping, circuit tracing, and targeted neural manipulation—are revealing the brain systems that reduce distress, promote attachment, and shape social learning early in life. Understanding these mechanisms provides insight into the fundamental biology of social bonding and may help explain how disruptions in early-life caregiving influence vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders later in life.