biostudies-literatureMuzerelle ASaint Petersburg State UniversityCampus FranceAgence Nationale de la RechercheDAAD ProgramERA-NET NEURONWolkswagen FoundationLabEx BioPsy6004https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7966367biostudies-literatureUnknown11(1)Proper maternal care is an essential factor of reproductive success in mammals, involving a repertoire of behaviors oriented toward the feeding and care of the offspring. Among the neurotransmitters involved in the initiation of these behaviors, serotonin (5-HT) seems to play an important role. Here we compared pup-oriented maternal behaviors in mice with constitutive 5-HT depletion, the tryptophan hydroxylase 2-knock-out (Tph2-KO) and the Pet1-KO mice. We report that the only common pup-oriented defect in these 2 hyposerotoninergic models is a defective nursing in parturient mice and altered nursing-like (crouching) behavior in virgin mice, while pup retrieval defects are only present in Tph2-KO. Despite a normal mammary gland development and milk production, the defect in appropriate nurScientific reportsDorsal raphe serotonin neurotransmission is required for the expression of nursing behavior and for pup survival.PMC7966367RESPOND16-0162ANR-11-0004-025721182335470WDRESPOND/ANR-15-017951143531Ruet PLMuzerelle AAlenina NHainer CScotto-Lomassese SLesch KPSoiza-Reilly MBader MGaspar PfalseDorsal raphe serotonin neurotransmission is required for the expression of nursing behavior and for pup survival.Proper maternal care is an essential factor of reproductive success in mammals, involving a repertoire of behaviors oriented toward the feeding and care of the offspring. Among the neurotransmitters involved in the initiation of these behaviors, serotonin (5-HT) seems to play an important role. Here we compared pup-oriented maternal behaviors in mice with constitutive 5-HT depletion, the tryptophan hydroxylase 2-knock-out (Tph2-KO) and the Pet1-KO mice. We report that the only common pup-oriented defect in these 2 hyposerotoninergic models is a defective nursing in parturient mice and altered nursing-like (crouching) behavior in virgin mice, while pup retrieval defects are only present in Tph2-KO. Despite a normal mammary gland development and milk production, the defect in appropriate nur2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2025-04-26T00:45:50.573Z2025-04-06T09:48:02.32ZS-EPMC79663673372758510.1038/s41598-021-84368-6