Have you ever been amazed by the extraordinary "mommy instincts" that seem to emerge during pregnancy? It turns out, these instincts aren’t just a myth; they are rooted in the science of how pregnancy hormones reshape our brains. Along with Rachida and Francesco, we recently published a study on this in Science! You can read a brief post about it here: https://www.crick.ac.uk/news-and-reports/2023-10-05_mouse-brain-is-rewired-during-pregnancy-to-prepare-for-motherhood . Additionally, part of our paper is featured in the Hello Brain exhibition currently running at the Francis Crick Institute.

A father mouse retrieving pups outside of the nest.

Here’s a Brief Summary of the study:

  1. Brain Renovations During Pregnancy: It's not just about morning sickness, mood swings, or that beautiful belly growth. The body was secretly upgrading specific brain cells (MPOA Galanin neurons), prepping the body for the impending joys and challenges of motherhood.
  2. The Hormonal Dynamic Duo: Estradiol and progesterone, two hormones surging during pregnancy, are the lead architects of this neural transformation. They've been pinpointed as focusing on neurons in a part of the brain known as the medial preoptic area (MPOA), setting the foundation for enhanced maternal behaviours.
  3. Estradiol’s Complex Role: The influence of estradiol is a bit paradoxical. On one hand, it silences some neurons, but on the other, it makes the ones remaining active incredibly alert and responsive to offspring signals. It's like tuning an instrument to get the perfect pitch.
  4. Progesterone’s Sustained Impact: Progesterone, meanwhile, is all about long-term planning. It strengthens neural connections and hones their focus on baby-related cues. It felt as if it was fine-tuning the innate baby radar, helping the body instinctively respond to the child's needs.

I was very proud of being in charge of the data analysis for the paper! Drop me an email if you have any questions. Science is really a voyage. We're honoured to have added to the vast ocean of neuroscience knowledge. I am so grateful to everyone who participated in this amazing journey! Dive into our paper for a comprehensive understanding of our insights!

Check out my code here:

GitHub - FrancisCrickInstitute/AmmariMonaca2023
Contribute to FrancisCrickInstitute/AmmariMonaca2023 development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubFrancisCrickInstitute

References:

Rachida Ammari et al., Hormone-mediated neural remodeling orchestrates parenting onset during pregnancy.Science382,76-81(2023).DOI:10.1126/science.adi0576

Our Science Publication!