Female mammals undergo dramatic behavioral changes during pregnancy and lactation. They prioritize the care and well-being of their offspring over their own survival.

Notably, lactating females display “maternal aggression,” an aggressive behavior in which they attack predatory intruders to protect their young.

It has been proposed that circulating hormones during pregnancy and parturition remodel the brain circuit for the expression of this reproductive state–dependent aggression.
However, the neural mechanisms of female aggression remain unclear.

In this seminar, I will present recent findings on the neural plasticity and hormonal regulation underlying the temporal specificity of maternal aggression.
I will also discuss how circulating hormones shape the “maternal brain circuit”.

Date&TIme: May 20 (Wed), 2026 16:00 – 17:00
Venue: Institute for Protein Research, 7th Floor, Seminar Room
Title: Maternal Brain MechanismUnderlying Protective Aggression
Speaker: Takashi Yamaguchi, Ph.D. (NYU Langone Health | Dayu Lin Lab)
Contact:
Takatoshi Hikida, The University of Osaka Institute for Protein Research Laboratory for Advanced Brain Functions
Email/Tel: hikida[at]protein.osaka-u.ac.jp (※Please replace [at] with @) / 06-6879-6100