"Pregnancy brain” is often treated as a punchline, but a new study shows it’s a stunning metamorphosis that scientists are just beginning to grasp — potentially unlocking new knowledge about pregnancy complications and the amazing plasticity of our most complex organ.
The research, just published in Nature Neuroscience, offers the first detailed look at the incredible transformation of the human brain during pregnancy. It’s an ambitious and overdue exploration of the ways that the major life event affects women’s short- and long-term health.
"Pregnancy is like a stress test for the body,” says Emily Jacobs, director of University of California, Santa Barbara’s Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative, and a co-author on study. The massive changes include shifts in hormone levels, the immune system and more work for organs like the heart and kidneys.
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