Journal
BIOLOGY LETTERS
Volume 4, Issue 6, Pages 603-605Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0358
Keywords
paternal care; testosterone; infant scent; parenting; olfactory
Categories
Funding
- NIMH [MH070423, R01 DA019158, RR000167]
- WNPRC
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Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) males are bi-parental non-human primates that show extensive paternal behaviour. Fathers are in direct sensory contact with their infants during the natal period. We found that fathers exposed to isolated scents of their infant displayed a significant drop in serum testosterone levels within 20 min after exposure, whereas parentally naive males did not. These data suggest that infant's scent may have a causal role in regulating paternal testosterone in their fathers. This is the first study to demonstrate that olfactory cues have an acute effect on paternal care.
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