Scientists show how pregnancy changes the brain in innumerable ways

AP Science Writer

A new study offers the first detailed map of the human brain throughout and after pregnancy. It was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience on Monday. The study looks at one woman’s brain but kicks off a large international research project that aims to scan the brains of hundreds and could one day provide clues about disorders like postpartum depression. Researchers say the transition to motherhood affected nearly every part of the brain. More than 80% of the regions they studied had reductions in the volume of gray matter, where thinking takes place. Researchers said this probably reflects the fine-tuning of networks of interconnected nerve cells.