Emory University Reveals How Grandmother Brains React to Grandchildren.

[elleng]

Science finally reveals why a grandmother beams with joy upon seeing her grandchildren. Grandmas have so much kindness and love to offer and often show it by baking cookies, buying gifts, or simply showering their grandkids with affection. They also encourage a child’s development and brain health in significant ways.

For the first time, scientists have scanned the brains of grandmothers while they’re looking at photos of their grandchildren. This activity helped them to understand better the bond they share and how grandmas influence their grandkids.

https://www.powerofpositivity.com/grandmother-brains-react-to-grandchildren/?

[TomWilm]

1. ... future studies might focus on brain function in other relatives such as grandfathers

We find that when grandmothers view photos of their grandchild, they particularly activate brain regions involved in emotional empathy, and regions involved in movement, motor preparation and motor simulation.
Furthermore, in comparison with fathers, grandmothers more strongly activate brain regions involved with emotional empathy, as well as brain regions involved with reward and motivation.

All in all, our findings suggest that emotional empathy may be a key component of grandmaternal responses to their grandchildren. ... Future studies might focus on allomaternal brain function in other relatives such as older siblings, aunts, uncles and grandfathers. ...

- The neural correlates of grandmaternal caregiving.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2021.1997

[Duppers]

2. I'm sure my brain reacted that way upon...

Seeing my sweet Labs and Border Collies. I had such strong bonds with them.

(Re: dog's IQ is equivalent to a child age of 6 to 8?!
https://www.petbacker.com/blog/facts/a-dog-s-iq-is-equivalent-to-a-child-age-of-6-to-8 )


Besides, my son says he'll never have children because of 1) the state of global environment & 2) the fact that he taught bratty little kids taekwondo for a few yrs
& sincerely disliked them. I know he would've hated the younger ADD version of himself. He even admitted as much.

[NJCher]

3. My friend has a name for this

She’s a vet. Whenever someone we knew became a grandparent, she would roll her eyes and say they had the “grandparent goofies.”

I would say to her, “and you are like that with your dog and cat!”

[Duppers]

4. 😁 - "grandparent goofies"

Your friend is a great vet then. Empathy, respect, & love for your patients means so much.

Yes, I get the "grandparent goofies" with good dogs too, even if they aren't mine.
(I still dislike misbehaving dogs, especially ones that bully other dogs; they lack proper discipline/training, of course.)

And with cats? What can I say, kitty cats are kitty cats.

Right, Puddin'? She's asleep next to me, as I'm typing on my phone. She likes good dogs too. 😻

[BoomaofBandM]

5. My health isn't the greatest, but I forget it all when I see my grandchildren.

They can't fix everything, but they are my best "pain pills".