There are significant physiological changes during pregnancy, from oblivious processes happening inside the womb to the changes in the brain. Led by Professor Emily Jacobs at UC Santa Barbara, researchers have made a revolutionary finding in the field. By providing the first-ever mapping of the human brain during pregnancy.
Laura Pritchett, lead author of the study from Nature Neuroscience, explained. “We wanted to look at the trajectory of the changes in the brain within the gestation period.” Earlier studies had at most captured snapshots of the brain before and after pregnancy. And not documented how it changes in the course of pregnancy.
The team scanned a first-time mother’s brain every few weeks from before pregnancy through two years postpartum. Their findings, presented in concert with Elizabeth Chrastil’s team at UC Irvine, show a brain whose gray and white matter change in identified ways across gestation. It reflects the unique ability of the adult human brain to adapt.
Using precise imaging techniques, the scientists captured the dynamic reorganization of the brain in striking detail. By comparing gray matter across many brains, this approach yields insights that general comparisons of brains before and after pregnancy do not afford. The authors investigated neurobiological changes accompanying pregnancy.
Yet, one of the most striking results was reduced cortical gray matter volume. That is, referring to the outer layer of the brain. This gray matter reduction is directly linked to the increasing hormone levels throughout pregnancy. In any case, this is not necessarily bad news. According to the scientists, this may be a suggestion of “fine-tuning” of the brain circuits. A process strikingly similar to the changes the brain undergoes at puberty. Pregnancy may be another time for cortical refinement.
Jacobs called the study, “Laura Pritchett and colleagues did really rigorous analyses that gave us a new understanding of how much plasticity is possible in adult brains.” Even though the gray matter reduction persisted for years after childbirth, there were also statistically significant gains in white matter – deeper in the brain. It carries signals between different parts of the brain. It peaked in the second trimester and went back to pre-pregnancy levels at the time of childbirth. Researchers had never documented this transient increase in before-and-after scans. Revealing how dynamic the brain can be in a short period.
According to Jacobs, “The maternal brain is altered in a choreographed way across pregnancy. And for the first time, we can see it happen.” These changes indicate that extended neuroplasticity might be possible in the adult brain. And support such behavioral adaptations as those required for parenting.
The following study was conducted because 85% of women experience pregnancy at least once in their lifetime. And approximately 140 million women become pregnant yearly.” She concluded that the neuroscience of pregnancy was not a specialized topic. Because it contributed to a broader understanding of the human brain and its process of aging.
Results of the study are also in an open-access dataset which will form the basis for future studies. Especially in understanding whether those brain changes could indicate which women are at risk for postpartum depression. A condition that strikes about one in five women. The early detection of postpartum depression is difficult to detect.
The team, supported in part by the Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative, is expanding that work with the Maternal Brain Project. This includes collaborations with researchers in Spain. And enrolling more women and their partners at UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, and internationally.
Jacobs concluded, “Experts in neuroscience, reproductive immunology, proteomics. And AI come together to develop a deeper understanding of the maternal brain. Working together, we seek to address some of the most critical and least understood challenges in women’s health.”
ANI