Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy.

ABSTRACT: Pregnancy is a period of profound biological transformation. However, we know remarkably little about pregnancy-related brain changes. To address this gap, we chart longitudinal changes in brain structure during pregnancy and explore potential mechanisms driving these changes. Ten participants (Mean age = 28.97 years) are assessed 1-6 times (median = 3) during their pregnancy. Each visit includes anatomical and diffusion-weighted MRI, and assessments of waking salivary hormones, hair hormones, and inflammatory cytokines. Here we observe a reduction in gray matter volume and an increase in neurite density index (NDI), a proxy of axon density, in white matter tracts across pregnancy. Progesterone levels are associated with reductions in brain volumetric measurements, and both progesterone an

SUBMITTER: Niu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11743213 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature