Toward a Neurobiology of Attachment

Abstract

Although much has been written about the psychological aspects of attachment, still relatively little is known about how the brain organizes this complex behavior or how attachment alters brain organization. Recent research has suggested that neuropeptides may be important as neural modulators for several complex behaviors. This review examines the research on one specific neuropeptide, oxytocin, to describe approaches to the neurobiology of attachment at several levels, including molecular, cellular, and whole animal studies. A key to understanding oxytocin's role in behavior is a careful analysis of the pattern of oxytocin receptors in the brain. The available data support the hypothesis that oxytocin is critical for maternal behavior and pair-bond formation in select nonhuman animals. Humans have oxytocin and brain oxytocin receptors, but the role of this neuropeptide system in human attachment remains highly speculative.