"Unprecedented Brain Imaging Study Reveals Neuroplasticity of First-Time Mothers"

A new study published in Nature Neuroscience reveals that the brains of first-time mothers undergo significant changes in volume and thickness during late pregnancy and the early postpartum period. The study, based on the largest longitudinal neuroimaging research of mothers to date, found that pregnancy and childbirth impact brain structure, with mothers experiencing decreased global cortical volume and thickness during late pregnancy, followed by significant increases in these measures in the early postpartum period. The type of childbirth also impacted these changes, with mothers who had a scheduled cesarean section showing larger increases in cortical volume, thickness, and surface area postpartum than those who went through labor. The study also found links between stress, depression, and maternal attachment during pregnancy and the postpartum period.