Overview
- Researchers in the Netherlands report that second-time mothers show stronger changes in brain networks for sensing cues and directing attention.
- Brain-change patterns were distinct enough that scans could classify whether participants had a first or second pregnancy.
- Less pronounced neural changes in both pregnant groups were linked to depression, suggesting clinical relevance for mood screening.
- The study scanned 110 women using MRI measures of gray matter, resting activity, and white-matter organization across first-time, second-time, and non-pregnant groups.
- Experts say the results align with animal research and the concept of matrescence, and they note growing efforts like the Maternal Brain Project to build larger, open datasets to guide support for parents.