Pregnancy: How your brain changes over nine months

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A team of American researchers has just lifted the veil on this phenomenon thanks to their research, published on September 16 in the journal Nature Neurosciences. For the first time ever, a map of the human brain throughout gestation has been established, and the conclusions scientists have drawn from it are quite fascinating. The adult brain is not fixed, a belief that was firmly anchored in people's minds and even in the scientific community until the 1960s and 1970s. It was at this time that the first discoveries in neuroscience showed that the human brain, even in adulthood, could still reorganize and change in response to new experiences or injuries.

Laura Pritschet and her colleagues at the University of California at Santa Barbara, thanks to this new study, have explored the subject further by following a primipara (woman giving birth for the first time), from conception to two years after giving birth. Their discovery? A surprising brain plasticity, comparable to that observed during puberty.

Grey matter and white matter: the great reorganization of the brain

Over the months, the volume of grey matter (part of the central nervous system composed mainly of neuron cell bodies) decreases, particularly in the cortex. Far from being worrisome, this phenomenon is similar to a “refining” of the neural circuits. At the same time, white matter, responsible for communication between brain regions, is experiencing a spectacular expansion. This peak, reached in the second trimester, gradually fades until delivery.

« The maternal brain undergoes a choreographed change throughout gestation, and we can finally see it unfold “, enthuses Emily Jacobs, the professor who initiated the study. These profound changes in the brain organ could well be the key to behavioral adaptations related to parenthood.

A better understanding of maternal mental health

These findings open up promising avenues for understanding and treating postpartum depression. Characterized by profound and persistent sadness, intense anxiety, and difficulty caring for oneself and one's baby, this condition affects one in five women. The latter could possibly find its roots in the brain changes caused by pregnancy, highlighted by the team of Jacobs and Pritschet.

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Pritschet explains, “There are now FDA-approved treatments for postpartum depression, but early detection remains difficult. The more we know about the maternal brain, the better our chances of relieving symptoms.”

With these early results, the Maternal Brain Project is gaining momentum. Researchers in neuroscience, reproductive immunology, proteomics (large-scale study of proteins) and artificial intelligence are joining forces to unravel the mysteries of the maternal brain: a true scientific melting pot. This international collaboration, which could ultimately improve our approach to women's health.

A paradigm shift

This study thus challenges preconceived ideas about the supposed ” fragility ” of pregnant women. ” 85 % of women experience one or more pregnancies during their lifetime “, recalls Laura Pritschet. Far from being a niche subject, the neuroscience of pregnancy is now a fundamental field of study to deepen our understanding of the human brain and its aging.

In a spirit of scientific openness, the research team has put online all the data gleaned during their study. A veritable gold mine for researchers around the world, who will be able to use it to more effectively explore the subtleties of women's brains when they are expecting a child.

Who would have thought it? While the belly is rounding, the brains of expectant mothers are silently metamorphosing. Ultimately, pregnancy is a bit of a rejuvenation cure for the brains of pregnant women. A silent transformation that prepares mothers for their new role. A way to see these nine months of upheaval in a different light.

• Researchers have discovered that pregnancy leads to astonishing brain plasticity, comparable to that of puberty.
• These brain changes could explain the behavioral adaptations of mothers and their understanding offers new avenues for understanding and treating postpartum depression.
• The study challenges prejudices about the fragility of pregnant women and thus opens a new field of study for the neuroscience of pregnancy.

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