Matrescence: lifetime impact of motherhood on cognition and the brain

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 27(3), P. 302 - 316

Published: Jan. 5, 2023

Profound environmental, hormonal, and neurobiological changes mark the transition to motherhood as a major biosocial life event. Despite ubiquity of motherhood, enduring impact caregiving on cognition brain across lifespan is not well characterized represents unique window opportunity investigate human neural cognitive development. By integrating insights from animal maternal literatures with theories ageing, we outline framework for understanding lifespan. We suggest that increased load provides an initial challenge during peripartum period, requiring continuous adaptation; yet when these demands are sustained lifespan, they result in late-life reserve.

Language: Английский

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Molecular basis underlying default mode network functional abnormalities in postpartum depression with and without anxiety

Human Brain Mapping, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 45(5)

Published: March 28, 2024

Abstract Although Postpartum depression (PPD) and PPD with anxiety (PPD‐A) have been well characterized as functional disruptions within or between multiple brain systems, however, how to quantitatively delineate system irregularity the molecular basis of abnormalities in PPD‐A remains unclear. Here, sample entropy (SampEn), resting‐state connectivity (RSFC), transcriptomic neurotransmitter density data were used investigate irregularity, associated for PPD‐A. exhibited higher SampEn medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) posterior cingulate (PPC) than healthy postnatal women (HPW) while showed lower PPC compared HPW The analysis MPFC seed areas revealed decreased couplings PCC paracentral lobule angular gyrus both HPW. Moreover, abnormal estrogenic level clinical symptoms load. Importantly, spatial association analyses changes transcriptome maps that these primarily synaptic signaling, neuron projection, regulation, amino acid metabolism, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathways, neurotransmitters 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT), norepinephrine, glutamate, dopamine so on. These results reveal connectivities default mode network (DMN) link establish first time. Our findings highlight important role DMN neuropathology

Language: Английский

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Pregnancy entails a U-shaped trajectory in human brain structure linked to hormones and maternal attachment

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1)

Published: Jan. 16, 2025

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 U-shaped trajectory gray matter (GM) volume, which dips late pregnancy partially recovers during postpartum. These changes are most prominent brain regions associated with Default Mode Frontoparietal Network. The is predominantly linked to factors, it only presents mothers correlates fluctuations estrogens over time. Finally, mother's mental health status mediates relationship between postpartum GM volume recovery maternal attachment at 6 months This research sheds light on complex interplay hormones, development, behavior transition motherhood. It addresses significant knowledge gap neuroscience human opens new possibilities for interventions aimed enhancing well-being.

Language: Английский

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Changes in left hippocampal volume in first‐time fathers: Associations with oxytocin, testosterone, and adaptation to parenthood

Journal of Neuroendocrinology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 35(7)

Published: March 26, 2023

Abstract The parenting brain may undergo remodeling that supports the adjustment to new parenthood. Prior work on human mothers has found gray matter volume decreases from preconception early postpartum in multiple structures, including left hippocampus, which was only structure show recovery at 2 years postpartum. This is consistent with evidence animal models hippocampus unusually plastic across reproductive transitions. However, no studies have focused specifically hippocampal changes fathers. Among 38 men who were scanned by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after having their first child, individual differences associated men's prenatal oxytocin, testosterone, adaptation Across whole sample, volumes did not change significantly showed larger increases reported stronger parent–child bonding affectionate attachment lower stress. Fathers higher levels of oxytocin transition In turn, greater predicted testosterone adjusting for testosterone. These findings extend right hippocampus. conclusion, fatherhood reflect parenthood males.

Language: Английский

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Protective role of parenthood on age-related brain function in mid- to late-life

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 4, 2024

Abstract The experience of parenthood can profoundly alter one’s body, mind, and environment, yet we know little about the long-term associations between brain function aging in adulthood. Here, investigate link number children parented (parity) age on 19,964 females 17,607 males from UK Biobank. In both males, increased parity was positively associated with functional connectivity, particularly within somato/motor network. Critically, spatial topography parity-linked effects inversely correlated impact connectivity across for suggesting that a higher is patterns opposite direction to age-related alterations. These results indicate changes accompanying may confer benefits health lifespan, highlighting importance future work understand mechanisms.

Language: Английский

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The perinatal microbiota-gut-brain axis: Implications for postpartum depression

NeuroImmunoModulation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 25

Published: Jan. 21, 2025

Background: Pregnancy and childbirth are accompanied by widespread maternal physiological adaptations hormonal shifts, that have been suggested to result in a period of vulnerability for the development mood disorders such as postpartum depression (PPD). There is also evidence peripartum changes composition gut microbiota, but potential contribution intestinal microbes adaptations, or subsequent vulnerabilities, during this unknown. Summary: Here we outline key pathways involved including GABAergic signaling, oxytocin immunomodulation associated with susceptibility present these modulated microbes. We discuss therapeutic microbiota-gut-brain axis identify future directions research help realize potential. Key Messages: Peripartum shifts microbial composition. Disruption GABAergic, immunomodulatory may contribute depression. These adaptative suggesting role microbiota determining PPD. More needed confirm relationship PPD gain mechanistic understanding required disorder.

Language: Английский

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Persistent dopamine-dependent remodeling of the neural transcriptome in response to pregnancy and postpartum

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 25, 2025

Pregnancy and postpartum experiences represent transformative physiological states that impose lasting demands on the maternal body brain, resulting in lifelong neural adaptations. However, precise molecular mechanisms driving these persistent alterations remain poorly understood. Here, we used brain-wide transcriptomic profiling to define landscape of parity-induced plasticity, identifying dorsal hippocampus (dHpc) as a key site transcriptional remodeling. Combining single-cell RNA sequencing with maternal-pup separation paradigm, additionally demonstrated chronic stress significantly disrupts dHpc adaptations by altering dopamine dynamics, leading dysregulated transcription, altered cellular impaired behavior. We further established sufficiency modulation regulation via chemogenetic suppression release into dHpc, which recapitulated behavioral features parity virgin females. In sum, our findings establish central regulator neuroadaptations, revealing fundamental mechanism female reproductive remodel brain sustain long-term

Language: Английский

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Protective role of parenthood on age-related brain function in mid- to late-life

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 122(9)

Published: Feb. 25, 2025

The experience of human parenthood is near ubiquitous and can profoundly alter one’s body, mind, environment. However, we know very little about the long-term neural effects for parents themselves, or implications pregnancy caregiving on aging adult brain. Here, investigate link between number children parented age brain function in 19,964 females 17,607 males from UK Biobank. In both males, was positively correlated with functional connectivity, such that higher associated particularly within somato/motor network. Critically, spatial topography parenthood-linked inversely impact connectivity across connections were negatively age. This result suggests a patterns opposite direction to age-related alterations. Overall, these results indicate changes accompanying may confer benefits health lifespan, altering trajectories, consistent animal models preliminary findings “younger-looking” structure parents. Observing this effect implicates environment, rather than alone, highlights importance future work disentangle underlying mechanisms related direct caregiving, indirect covarying sociodemographic factors.

Language: Английский

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Redefining the mom brain narrative: Adaptive cognitive enhancements during the perinatal period

Journal of Health Psychology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 31, 2025

“Mom brain” is a commonly reported phenomenon in pregnant and postpartum women characterized by brain fog, forgetfulness, distractibility, other cognitive disruptions. However, research on objective functioning inconclusive does not necessarily align with mothers’ subjective experiences mom brain. This review discusses recent developments the perinatal neuroscience literature that support revised narrative which “mom conceptualized as period of functionally adaptive enhancements. Changing can shift societal expectations for mothers, thereby reducing social pressure negative self-evaluation to ultimately enhance across period.

Language: Английский

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Prenatal prolactin predicts postnatal parenting attitudes and brain structure remodeling in first-time fathers

Psychoneuroendocrinology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 156, P. 106332 - 106332

Published: July 10, 2023

Language: Английский

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