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Updated: Mar 10, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
[Mental health and the maternal brain]
Kathy Ayala1, Helena J V Rutherford1
1Yale University, Yale Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT 06520, United States of America.
None:
A growing body of research highlights structural and functional changes in the brain during pregnancy and the postpartum period, suggesting that this is a phase of neural adaptation. The perinatal period is also a time of increased vulnerability to mental health disorders. We present emerging literature that examines the relationship between maternal mental health and brain changes, including implications for clinical practice.
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