Quality of early-life maternal care predicts empathy-like behavior in adult male rats: Linking empathy to BDNF gene expression in associated brain regions

•Male rats that experienced high maternal care (HMC) showed higher level of empathy-like behavior compared to low maternal care (LMC) group.•Male rats that experienced HMC had significantly higher levels of BDNF gene expression in the amygdala, hippocampus, insula, prefrontal cortex, and striatum compared to LMC.•The expression level of BDNF gene in the anterior cingulate cortex was not different between HMC and LMC.•The higher levels of BDNF gene expression in these regions may partly explain the mechanisms by which maternal care influences empathy-like behavior.