'Pregnancy affects brain': Study shows a reduction in gray matter important for thinking, learning, and memory
Nature Communications-, shows these changes occur in 94% of the brain and are especially noticeable in the default mode network, a region linked to social cognition. Gray matter processes and interprets information, enabling thinking, learning, and memory.
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Key insights from the study
Grey matter, the brain's outermost layer responsible for processing and interpreting information, undergoes significant changes during pregnancy. These changes were linked to fluctuating levels of two estrogen hormones, estriol-3-sulfate and estrone-sulfate, which rise during pregnancy and return to baseline after delivery.
Researchers conducted MRI scans on nearly 180 first-time pregnant women to track structural changes during the second and third trimesters and the first six months postpartum. Scans taken before conception served as baseline data.
“We unveil a U-shaped trajectory in grey matter volume, which dips in late pregnancy and partially recovers during postpartum,” the authors noted.
Areas most affected by grey matter changes
The study identified that changes in grey matter affected 94 percent of the brain's surface, with pronounced effects on higher-order cognitive networks like the default mode and frontoparietal networks. These regions are associated with complex functions such as social cognition and decision-making.
Hormonal fluctuations and grey
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