Is "baby brain" real?

A recent study has shown that pregnancy may result in changes the mother’s brain that control emotional and social cues.

Researchers studied the brains of 25 first time mothers before and after birth. They compared these to the scans of 19 first time fathers, 17 men who had no children, and 20 women who had never given birth.

When comparing the scans, the researchers identified that the first time mothers had a loss in grey matter in the areas associated to the ability to attribute mental states, such a thoughts, feelings and intentions of themselves and others. They also found, that when looking at images of their own children, they had greater responses in these areas that when looking at another child.

The pattern of these changes led to researchers also being able to identify, using only brain scans, women who had given birth and those who hadn’t.  Researchers were able to show that these alternations were still present up to two years after birth, however further research is needed to see if there are any long lasting effects. It is also limited in its ability to tell us why or what creates these changes – whether it is pregnancy itself, labour or the period of time shortly after birth.
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