Catherine Dulac is investigating the impact of oxytocin on the galanin neuronal hub – the switch for parental care in both sexes that we met earlier in the chapter. She’s found that this parenting command centre does indeed have oxytocin receptors, but only in mothers. This accounts for a birth mother’s unique souped-up parenting response – she has both galanin and oxytocin neurons driving her behaviour. But the cuddle hormone, despite its reputation, is not the elusive trigger for this parenting switch, it merely complements it.
