dam that raised them rather than their biological mother (Champagne et al., 2006). Because ERα is a ligand-activated transcription factor, altering ERα expression can have implications for the transcription of other genes containing estrogen response elements (Marino et al., 2006). Indeed, expression of the oxytocin receptor, a gene that contains an estrogen response element, is altered within the MPOA as a result of LG received in infancy (Champagne et al., 2001; Peña et al., 2013). Both estrogen and oxytocin act on the MPOA to promote maternal behavior and pup responsiveness (Numan, 2012; Numan et al., 1977; Pedersen et al., 1994). Therefore, these data highlight gene targets of early-life LG that contribute to the transmission of maternal behavior from mother to offspring.
