Researchers have created one of the first comprehensive maps of how the brain changes throughout pregnancy, offering insights into an understudied area. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, is based on a healthy 38-year-old woman who underwent in vitro fertilization and was monitored from three weeks before conception to two years postpartum. Dr. Emily Jacobs, the lead author from the University of California, Santa Barbara, highlighted the lack of understanding of the neurobiology of pregnancy due to the historical neglect of women’s health in biomedical sciences.
The study revealed that by the ninth week of pregnancy, there were widespread decreases in gray matter volume and cortical thickness, particularly in regions related to social cognitive functions. Gray matter controls functions such as speech, thinking, and memory. Despite the shrinkage, brain connectivity improved in certain areas. The changes in brain structure were linked to increasing levels of hormones like estradiol and progesterone.
Some of these changes persisted up to two years postpartum, while others returned to pre-pregnancy levels after about two months. Comparisons with non-pregnant participants showed that the gray matter volume change in the pregnant woman was nearly three times higher.
The brain undergoes some changes during pregnancy.
Experts like Dr. Jodi Pawluski and Dr. Elseline Hoekzema, who were not involved in the study, pointed out the potential implications for understanding maternal mental health and bonding with infants. Although more research with larger groups is needed, early findings suggest these brain changes are relatively consistent across women.
The study also marks the beginning of the Maternal Brain Project, a larger initiative aimed at understanding how pregnancy affects brain health.
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