Abstract
Pregnancy hormones, such as prolactin, sensitize neural circuits controlling parental interactions to induce timely activation of maternal behaviors immediately after parturition. While the medial preoptic area (MPOA) is known to be critical for maternal behavior, the specific role of prolactin in this brain region has remained elusive. Here, we evaluated the role of prolactin action in the MPOA using complementary genetic strategies in mice. We characterized prolactin-responsive neurons within the MPOA at different hormonal stages and delineated their projections in the brain. We found that MPOA neurons expressing prolactin receptors (Prlr) form the nexus of a complex prolactin-responsive neural circuit, indicating that changing prolactin levels can act at multiple sites and thus, impinge on the overall activity of a distributed network of neurons. Conditional KO of Prlr from neuronal subpopulations expressing the neurotransmitters GABA or glutamate within this circuit markedly reduced the capacity for prolactin action both in the MPOA and throughout the network. Each of these manipulations, however, produced only subtle impacts on maternal care, suggesting that this distributed circuit is robust with respect to alterations in prolactin signaling. In contrast, acute deletion of Prlr in all MPOA neurons of adult female mice resulted in profound deficits in maternal care soon after birth. All mothers abandoned their pups, showing that prolactin action on MPOA neurons is necessary for the normal expression of postpartum maternal behavior in mice. Our data establish a critical role for prolactin-induced behavioral responses in the maternal brain, ensuring survival of mammalian offspring.