The body isn’t the only thing that changes when The woman is pregnant.
A new study by researchers at UC Santa Barbara explores how the brain responds to intense hormonal changes during pregnancy.
Study co-author Dr. Laura Pritchett told Fox News Digital that pregnancy is “a transformative period in a person’s life, with profound hormonal and physiological changes.”
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“Studies comparing women before and after pregnancy provide the strongest evidence to date that the human brain undergoes neural changes during this period,” he said.
“Yet, how the brain changes during pregnancy is largely unknown.”
The study showed how the brain responds to intense hormonal changes during pregnancy. (iStock)
Pritchett and her team launched the Maternal Brain Project, which scanned the brains of first-time mothers once every few weeks, from pregnancy until two years after delivery.
From this Researchers Pritchett said recording the changes in the brain “so precisely” is “something that has never been recorded before.”
“These findings reveal highly dynamic changes that occur in the human brain during pregnancy — some of which do not fully return to pre-pregnancy levels.”
He further added, “Our findings demonstrate that pregnancy causes a reduction in gray matter volume, cortical thinning, and an increase in white matter microstructural integrity that increases as gestational weeks increase.”
These changes in brain matter were also associated with significant increases in estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy,
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“Overall, these findings highlight the highly dynamic changes that occur in the human brain during pregnancy — some of which do not fully return to pre-pregnancy levels,” Pritchett said.
According to the researchers, this reflects the potential for “extensive neural remodeling well into adulthood.”
He said that a lack of grey matter in the brain isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Researchers found a decrease in gray matter and an increase in white matter in the brains of first-time mothers. (iStock)
A reduction in gray matter may indicate a “fine-tuning” of brain circuits, similar to how Brain changes Pritchett told Fox News Digital that it becomes more specific as teens move into adulthood.
Some of the neurological changes were thought to be a response to the “high physical demands” of pregnancy, showing how adaptable the brain can be, the researchers said.
Overall, the study revealed evidence of “profound changes” occurring in the brain, which could help validate the “wide range of experiences women have during pregnancy,” she said.
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Dr. Ernest Lee Murray is a board-certified neurologist at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. Jackson, Tennesseetold Fox News Digital that he finds the study “interesting.”
Murray, who was not involved in the study, defined neuroplasticity as the brain’s “ability to reorganize neural pathways in response to changes in the brain such as development, chemical changes, environmental exposures or injury.”
“Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways in response to changes in the brain, such as development, chemical changes, environmental exposures or injury,” a neurologist told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Murray said the changes in brain structure over such a short period of time was one of the most “remarkable” findings in the study.
“This reflects the brain’s remarkable ability to respond to many changes and stresses,” he said.
“We know that women’s bodies undergo many changes during pregnancy, but this is the first time that changes in the brain during different stages have been recorded through imaging.”
highlighting women’s health
Pritchett stressed that pregnancy should not be considered a “typical research topic,” since 85% of women experience it at least once in their lifetime, and about 140 million women become pregnant each year.
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“It took a long time for these questions to be asked, but we have good news – there is now a growing focus around the world on this women’s Health “It has massive impact, and the future is bright because of it,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Our hope is that this proof-of-concept study will serve as a catalyst for more studies to be conducted on larger, more diverse groups of women.”
The researcher suggested that the “profound changes” that occur in the brain may help validate the “variety of experiences” women have during pregnancy. (iStock)
Using the new information gained from this study, the researchers plan to explore how changes in the brain may lead to neurological conditions during pregnancy, such as eclampsia, epilepsy, stroke and migraine.
“There are now FDA-approved treatments available Postpartum depression (It’s a condition that affects about one in five women), but early detection is still difficult,” Pritchett said.
“The more we know about the maternal brain, the better our chances are of providing relief.”
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Murray agreed that this study will help lay the groundwork for additional studies on various psychological or neurological conditions women may experience during pregnancy.
Pritchett clarified that the study did not look at neurological changes related to forgetfulness or “brain fog” — often called “pregnancy brain” — or other side effects.
“The more we know about the maternal brain, the better our chances are of providing relief.”
“We need to do more work in this area to understand how changes in the brain during pregnancy lead to or trigger cognitive, behavioural and psychiatric disorders.” health outcomes,” He said.
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“Everyone’s journey is different – some women report mood changes or forgetfulness, while others don’t – so we need to understand how and why these differences might arise.”
