A holistic review of fatherhood in humans and non-human animals: mechanisms of fatherhood, effects on fathers themselves, and interactions of fathers with others.

Fathers are often the forgotten parent in mammals; due to the necessity of lactation for the survival of infants, mothers and motherhood are by far the better studied sex (a rather unusual phenomenon among most topics). However, the study of fathers has experienced a recent surge in interest. Here we review literature from a neuroscience, endocrine, and psychological perspective, on the mechanisms of fatherhood and roles of fathers across species, including the ways that fathering affects mental health, interactions with others, and partner relationships in humans and animals. Limitations and fundamental gaps remaining in the literature on fatherhood are identified.