Cited by 91Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Less can be more: Fine tuning the maternal brain

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Pawluski, Jodi L., Hoekzema, Elseline, Leuner, Benedetta, Lonstein, Joseph S.·2022·Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Abstract

PAWLUSKI, J.L., Hoekzema, E., Leuner, B., and Lonstein, J.S. Less can be more: Fine tuning the maternal brain. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV (129) XXX-XXX, 2022. Plasticity in the female brain across the lifespan has recently become a growing field of scientific inquiry. This has led to the understanding that the transition to motherhood is marked by some of the most significant changes in brain plasticity in the adult female brain. Perhaps unexpectedly, plasticity occurring in the maternal brain often involves a decrease in brain volume, neurogenesis and glial cell density that presumably optimizes caregiving and other postpartum behaviors. This review summarizes what we know of the 'fine-tuning' of the female brain that accompanies motherhood and highlights the implications of these changes for maternal neurobehavioral health. The first part of the review summarizes structural and functional brain changes in humans during pregnancy and postpartum period with the remainder of the review focusing on neural and glial plasticity during the peripartum period in animal models. The aim of this review is to provide a clear understanding of when 'less is more' in maternal brain plasticity and where future research can focus to improve our understanding of the unique brain plasticity occurring during matrescence.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.045

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  • Changes in the maternal brain's structure and function indicate another phase of human neuroplasticity, described as 'pruning and tuning,' which streamlines and optimizes the brain, making it more efficient, empathetic, attuned, and socio-emotionally intelligent.

    “Neurological. Changes in the maternal brain’s structure and function indicate another phase of human neuroplasticity. Neuroscientists describe this as 'pruning and tuning,' a process that streamlines and optimizes the brain, making it more efficient, empathetic, attuned, and socio-emotionally intelligent (24).”

    From A critical need for the concept of matrescence in perinatal psychiatry (2024) · cites this paper as [24]

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Brus M, Meurisse M, Franceschini I, Keller M, Levy F, 2010b. Evidence for cell proliferation in the sheep brain and its down-regulation by parturition and interactions with the young.. Hormones and behavior 58, 737– 746. 20692260
  2. Comte L, 1898. Contribution a l’etude de l’hypophyse humaine. Thesis.
  3. Kim P, Dufford AJ, Tribble RC, 2019. Months Postpartum: Associations with Parental Self-Efficacy. 223, 3267– 3277. PMC6358213 29855765
  4. Pawluski JL, Walker SK, Galea LA, 2006b. Reproductive experience differentially affects spatial reference and working memory performance in the mother. Horm Behav 49, 143– 149. 15992800

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Authors
Pawluski, J. L., Hoekzema, E., Leuner, B., & Lonstein, J. S.
Affiliations
  • Inserm (FR)
  • Leiden University (NL)
  • The Ohio State University (US)
  • Michigan State University (US)
Corresponding author
Pawluski, Jodi L.
Venue
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-02
Volume
133
Pages
104475
ISSN
0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3215964700
Cited by
91
References
217
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 11
FWCI
2.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Funders
  • NIMH
  • ERC
  • NICHD
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Keywords
matrescence, motherhood, brain atrophy, neurogenesis, glial cell density, pregnancy, postpartum period, transition period, caregiving
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Female, Humans, Maternal Behavior, Neuronal Plasticity, Pregnancy, Postpartum Period, Neurogenesis

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