Source: Naturenews: Placenta to the rescue - Zoë Corbyn
When a pregnant mouse is starved, the placenta breaks itself down to provide a steady supply of food to the foetus. The stage of development studied was crucial for hypothalamus development, and this uninterrupted supply of food protects it from damage. This part of the brain controls primal instincts, including maternal instincts.
Is this result paralleled in humans? It is unknown and it would be unethical to carry out similar research on people but it is possible that some information may be obtained by studying the placenta after birth.
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