Pregnancy and the Human Brain: A Window of Neuroplasticity

Pregnancy represents one of the most extreme endocrine events of life, involving unequaled hormone surges that orchestrate widespread maternal adaptations. Animal studies have demonstrated reproduction-related neural and behavioral changes that are evident across the lifespan. However, remarkably little is known on the effects of this transition on the human brain. We have previously shown—for the first time—that pregnancy leads to long-lasting changes in human brain structure, revealing the existence of a dramatic pregnancy-related neuroplasticity in humans. The current project will comprehensively map the changes manifesting in a woman’s brain by tracking core aspects of brain anatomy and function across pregnancy and the postpartum period. Furthermore, we aim to pinpoint key factors driving pregnancy-related neuroplasticity by means of an extensive profile of endocrine and lifestyle changes, and reveal the neural substrates for potential adaptive and maladaptive processes, focusing on specific functional domains highlighted by promising pilot results. We will investigate this by means of a prospective cohort study tracking women from before conception across pregnancy and into the postpartum period, which combines cutting-edge neuroimaging approaches with various psychopedagogic and biomedical measures. This project, which is funded by a European Research Council (ERC) grant awarded to Elseline Hoekzema, aims to lay a firm foundation for this emerging field of human neuroscience and generate groundbreaking insights into a woman’s remarkable neurobiological journey to motherhood.