Nurturing linked to brain development

Something that I found that was pretty profound.
Below is the extract from Child Developmental Psychology.

Nurturing linked to brain development

Experiments conducted on rats by Canadian researchers suggest that nurturing enhances neural connections in the brain and improves both memory and the learning of some tasks. The findings are a part of McGill University scientists' investigation into how one's environment affects the brain.

In this specific part of the study, university scientists examined how a mother's nurturing would influence brain development. McGill scientists divided 32 rats into two groups, with one group providing a high level of care to its offspring, including actions like stroking and grooming and another group that was less attentive in its mothering. The offspring that received attentive nurturing were able to perform certain tasks better such as finding a platform in a swimming maze.

Michael Meaney, endocrinologist and lead author of the study, reports that the findings are an indication of how nature and nurture foster brain development. "Activity of the genes is always influenced by the environment," reports Meaney. "And the most important feature of the environment for an infant is its mother."

So no wonder mummys have this tendency to feel guilty all the time!! We have so much to bear, the MASSIVE responsibility to nuture! Sometimes really wonder what have I done as mummy. I wish babies do give me a step by step instruction book to follow!