Here's What Science Has to Say About the Mother-Daughter Bond

Of course it has its ups and downs (ahem, the teenage years), but there’s no denying that the mother-daughter bond is something special. And now, scientists agree.

According to a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, the relationship between mothers and daughters is the strongest of all parent-child bonds.

In the study, aimed at discovering why mood disorders (such as depression) are commonly passed on from mothers to their daughters, scientists performed MRI scans on 35 healthy families. Interestingly, they found that mothers and daughters have similar anatomy when it comes to the part of the brain that regulates emotions.

“This association was significantly greater than mother–son, father–daughter, and father–son associations,” said researchers. Translation? Mothers and daughters are more likely to understand and relate to the emotions of each other than anyone else.

Something to keep in mind the next time your mom offers some well-meaning (but totally unsolicited) advice.

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