Amazing stuff!
"During pregnancy, the brain undergoes substantial remodeling. However, longitudinal characterization of these changes is lacking. Servin-Barthet et al. analyzed magnetic resonance imaging scans before, during, and after pregnancy in 127 women undergoing their first pregnancy.
Gray matter volume decreased rapidly during pregnancy and partially recovered (albeit slowly and only partially) postpartum. Volume changes were correlated with alterations in estrogens and were particularly evident in high-order cognitive networks. At the behavioral level, stronger gray matter volume recovery was associated with reduced hostility toward the newborn. Understanding brain adaptation during pregnancy could be leveraged to promote well-being during the postpartum period."
From the abstract:
"Growing evidence places the gestational period as a unique moment of heightened neuroplasticity in adult life.
In this longitudinal study spanning pre, during, and post pregnancy, we unveil a U-shaped trajectory in gray matter (GM) volume, which dips in late pregnancy and partially recovers during postpartum.
These changes are most prominent in brain regions associated with the Default Mode and Frontoparietal Network.
The U-shaped trajectory is predominantly linked to gestational factors, as it only presents in gestational mothers and correlates with fluctuations in estrogens over time.
Finally, the mother’s mental health status mediates the relationship between postpartum GM volume recovery and maternal attachment at 6 months postpartum. This research sheds light on the complex interplay between hormones, brain development, and behavior during the transition to motherhood. It addresses a significant knowledge gap in the neuroscience of human pregnancy and opens new possibilities for interventions aimed at enhancing maternal health and well-being."
Pregnancy entails a U-shaped trajectory in human brain structure linked to hormones and maternal attachment (open access)
Fig. 1: Longitudinal cortical gray matter volume trajectory across pregnancy and postpartum (N = 179).
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