Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026
07:12
Profiling Maternal Behavior Responses During Whole-Brain Imaging
Published on: January 24, 2025
The expectant brain: adapting for motherhood
Paula J Brunton1, John A Russell
1Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, Scotland, UK.
Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|December 13, 2007
Summary
Maternal brain adaptations during pregnancy, driven by hormones, optimize fetal development but may increase risks for postpartum mood disorders. Lactation adaptations rely on external infant stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Neuroendocrinology
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Reproductive neuroscience
Background:
- Successful pregnancy necessitates significant maternal physiological adaptations for fetal growth and well-being.
- These adaptations are crucial for preparing the mother for parturition and postpartum care.
- Maternal brain neuroendocrine systems play a central role in orchestrating these pregnancy-related changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying maternal adaptations during pregnancy.
- To differentiate brain adaptations during pregnancy from those during lactation.
- To explore the potential link between pregnancy-induced brain changes and postpartum mood disorders.
Main Methods:
- Review of neuroendocrine signaling pathways during pregnancy.
- Comparative analysis of maternal brain adaptations in pregnancy versus lactation.
- Examination of hormonal influences on maternal brain function.
Main Results:
- Pregnancy adaptations are primarily driven by endogenous pregnancy hormones.
- Lactation adaptations are modulated by external stimuli from the infant.
- Pregnancy-associated neuroendocrine shifts may contribute to postpartum mood dysregulation.
Conclusions:
- The maternal brain undergoes significant, hormone-driven adaptations to support pregnancy.
- These adaptations, while essential, carry potential risks for maternal mental health postpartum.
- Understanding these neuroendocrine changes is vital for preventing and treating postpartum mood disorders.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:01Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
00:55Parental Care
Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
01:22Development of Immunocompetence
The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
01:21The Nativist Approach
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to exist...
01:22Gut-Brain Axis
The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that connects the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. This interaction is mediated through multiple pathways, including the vagus nerve, hormonal signals, immune responses, and chemical messengers produced by gut microbes.Microbial Contributions to Brain FunctionGut microbiota contributes significantly to brain function by producing neuroactive compounds. These include neuroactive compounds that influence neurotransmitters such as...