Modeling paternal attentiveness: Distressed pups evoke differential neurobiological and behavioral responses in paternal and nonpaternal mice

► P. californicus and maniculatus exhibit different behavioral responses to a distressed pup. ► P. californicus exhibits enhanced motivation to approach and interacts with an isolated pup. ► P. maniculatus exhibits motivation to escape from (and avoid) an isolated pup. ► Brain areas linked to heightened emotional processing characterized maniculatus males with pup. ► Enhanced medial preoptic area activation is associated with paternal responses in both species.