(Phys Org) — Scientists say they have proven what many people fortunate enough to grow up with theirs have known all along: Grandmothers have strong nurturing instincts and are hard-wired to care deeply about their grandchildren.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Tuesday is the first to provide a neural snapshot of the cherished intergenerational bond.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers at Emory University in the southern US state of Georgia scanned the brains of 50 grandmothers who were shown pictures of their grandchildren, who were between three and 12 years old. (…)