Disentangling the Effect of Sex and Caregiving Role: The Investigation of Male Same-Sex Parents as an Opportunity to Learn More About the Neural Parental Caregiving Network

This opinion article builds on the evidence of the possible overlapping between caregiving sex and caregiving role that might blur our understanding of the neural correlates of fathering. The authors conclude that the study of fathers in same-sex families could the study of neural parental caregiving network in male same-sex parents is a potential unique opportunity to examine the contribution of contextual factors such as parental role definitions, involvement in childcare, and cultural beliefs in shaping neurobiological bases and behavioral responses underlying nurturing behaviors.