During pregnancy, the volume of gray matter in the cerebral cortex decreases.
Pregnancy significantly alters the structure of a woman's brain. Scientists have discovered that during pregnancy, the volume of gray matter in the cerebral cortex initially decreases, and after childbirth, it begins to partially recover. These changes are described as a "U-shaped" trajectory and, according to researchers, are associated with hormonal reorganization of the body. The study is published in Nature Communications (Nat Com).
The study involved 127 women expecting their first child. They underwent MRI scans before pregnancy, in the second and third trimesters, as well as one month and six months after childbirth. The analysis showed that by the end of pregnancy, the volume of gray matter had decreased by about 5 percent on average, and then began to gradually recover, although it did not return completely to the original level.
The most noticeable changes occurred in areas of the brain associated with self-perception, emotions, and social thinking. Researchers also found that these changes were closely related to fluctuations in estrogen levels during pregnancy, indicating the role of hormones in brain reorganization.
The researchers emphasize that such changes do not signify a decline in cognitive abilities. On the contrary, they may aid in the adaptation to motherhood. Moreover, women whose brains recovered more quickly after childbirth exhibited a stronger emotional attachment to their child a few months after birth.
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