Britney Spears' mother Lynne has downplayed the star's much publicised breakdown - comparing the Toxic hitmaker's troubles to a teenager starting college.

The singer went into meltdown after losing custody of her two sons Sean Preston, three, and Jayden James, two, last year - and was hospitalised for a mental evaluation in January.

But mum Lynne is sure the star's problems were inevitable - because the singer was attempting to cut loose from her parents.

She tells British morning show Gmtv, "I think there comes a time in a young adult's life where they wanna live their own life and mamma and daddy - they're not cool anymore.

"I think it was kind of that situation - much similar to a child that goes to college and they're really into their college life and they don't really come home a lot. If you can relate it to that."