Behind the Brain

Hello all. I haven’t posted in nearly two months! This is because I’ve had 4 AP tests throughout May and I had my SAT last Saturday. I had to focus on those, but now I’m back! Back to the topic.

Raising a child is one of the most fulfilling journeys many take. In fact, over four babies are born per second worldwide. But apart from making emotional bonds with their children, and making countless memories with their children, recent studies have also shown that both the mother and father go through neurological changes postpartum. Let’s explore these changes, whether they ever reverse, and their impact on daily life.

Neurological Changes in the Mother

During pregnancy, sex steroid hormones (specifically estrogen and progesterone) production greatly increases. Furthermore, several changes regarding neuroplasticity occur during and after pregnancy. Lastly the brain goes through several structural changes. For example, postpartum, mothers’ brains lose grey matter volume symmetrically across the prefrontal and temporal cortexes. This reduction in grey matter lasts for 2 years postpartum. Specific parts of the brain either increase or decrease in size as well. The amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and the hypothalamus all increase in size, while the cerebral cortex and hippocampus all decrease in size.

Why? Well, after pregnancy, oxytocin levels increase, helping create a maternal bond with the child. Since the amygdala has several oxytocin receptors, this area of the brain increases in volume to account for the increased oxytocin. Increased prefrontal cortex size helps with decision making, and increased hypothalamus helps regulate body conditions better. On the other hand, reasons for reduction of size of hippocampus are still unknown.

Neurological Changes in the Father

Men, who had just become fathers, also experienced similar changes as mothers such as increases in prefrontal cortex and amygdala; However, these changes weren’t as pronounced in men. Another change detected in men’s brains was the increase in the occipital lobe – the region of the brain that deals with visual information. Furthermore, men had an increase in their DMN (Default Mode Network – more info coming in a upcoming post!) To summarize, the DMN is the area of the brain that deals with functions when we are in a state of minimal stimulation.

Why do these changes occur? Well, unlike in mothers, fathers don’t go through pregnancy, so they don’t go through vast hormonal changes. Instead, these changes in brain structure result from experience-cause-plasticity AKA changes in the brain due to one’s environment. For example, since in Spain fathers are given more paternal leave, they exhibit a greater degree of neurological change than fathers in California. Another common environmental/societal factor that can contribute to this neurological change is the increasing role of fathers in nurturing. Several studies have proven that men who take a more active role in nurturing will experience greater degrees of neurological change.

Longevity of these Neurological Changes

Neurological changes in mothers last for a while, sometimes lasting for over 6 years. And although the changes do reverse, they almost never reverse fully. In somewhat similar fashion, father’s neurological changes not only stay, but don’t even diminish.