Brain circuit behind release of breast milk at baby’s cries uncovered

The research is the first to identify the brain mechanisms behind the ‘wail-to-milk pipeline’. Photograph: Cultura Creative (RF)/Alamy

The brain circuit that causes the sound of a newborn crying to trigger the release of breast milk in mothers has been uncovered by scientists.

The study, in mice, gives fresh insights into sophisticated changes that occur in the brain during pregnancy and parenthood. It found that 30 seconds of continuous crying by mouse pups triggered the release of oxytocin, the brain chemical that controls the breast-milk release response in mothers.