Negin Daneshnia

Abstract The long-term impact of pregnancy and post-childbirth hormonal changes on the maternal brain is yet to be fully understood. Here, we monitored 24 postpartum women longitudinally across six time points over the first 24 weeks following childbirth. By means of structural MRI, we investigated how maternal brain volume, over time and compared to nulliparous women, is associated with receptor distribution maps.

Abstract Over the last two decades, interest in the neurobiological basis of parenthood has grown, with the primary focus being on maternal neuroplasticity. However, research on paternal brain adaptations remains limited and inconclusive. This longitudinal study investigated gray matter volume (GMV) and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) changes in 25 fathers immediately after childbirth and at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 weeks postpartum.