Female brain shows convergent remodeling in puberty and pregnancy, with menopause taking a different path

Longitudinal MRI across three female hormonal transitions (puberty, pregnancy, menopause) reveals puberty and pregnancy both accelerate cortical gray matter loss with convergence in prefrontal, parietal, and temporal cortex but divergent sensorimotor regions; menopause shows no significant cortical gray matter loss during the transition, indicating a qualitatively distinct pattern. Subcortical changes appear mainly during puberty. Overall, puberty and pregnancy share directional brain remodeling linked to hormonal increases, while menopause reflects attenuation of age-related decline, suggesting both shared and distinct neuroplastic mechanisms across the female lifespan.