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 participa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07414-9 |
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| author | Yanbin Niu Benjamin N. Conrad M. Catalina Camacho Sanjana Ravi Hannah A. Piersiak Lauren G. Bailes Whitney Barnett Mary Kate Manhard David A. Cole Ellen Wright Clayton Sarah S. Osmundson Seth A. Smith Autumn Kujawa Kathryn L. Humphreys |
| author_facet | Yanbin Niu Benjamin N. Conrad M. Catalina Camacho Sanjana Ravi Hannah A. Piersiak Lauren G. Bailes Whitney Barnett Mary Kate Manhard David A. Cole Ellen Wright Clayton Sarah S. Osmundson Seth A. Smith Autumn Kujawa Kathryn L. Humphreys |
| author_sort | Yanbin Niu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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 and estradiol levels are linked to increases in NDI in white matter tracts. This study highlights the profound neurobiological changes experienced by pregnant individuals and provides insights into neuroplasticity in adulthood. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a288c904fc3443f6b30ef890f9be44bc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a288c904fc3443f6b30ef890f9be44bc2025-01-19T12:35:25ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-01-018111310.1038/s42003-024-07414-9Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancyYanbin Niu0Benjamin N. Conrad1M. Catalina Camacho2Sanjana Ravi3Hannah A. Piersiak4Lauren G. Bailes5Whitney Barnett6Mary Kate Manhard7David A. Cole8Ellen Wright Clayton9Sarah S. Osmundson10Seth A. Smith11Autumn Kujawa12Kathryn L. Humphreys13Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. LouisDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityDepartment of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical CenterDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityCenter for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterDivision of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterDepartment of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityDepartment of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt UniversityAbstract 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 and estradiol levels are linked to increases in NDI in white matter tracts. This study highlights the profound neurobiological changes experienced by pregnant individuals and provides insights into neuroplasticity in adulthood.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07414-9 |
| spellingShingle | Yanbin Niu Benjamin N. Conrad M. Catalina Camacho Sanjana Ravi Hannah A. Piersiak Lauren G. Bailes Whitney Barnett Mary Kate Manhard David A. Cole Ellen Wright Clayton Sarah S. Osmundson Seth A. Smith Autumn Kujawa Kathryn L. Humphreys Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy Communications Biology |
| title | Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy |
| title_full | Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy |
| title_fullStr | Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy |
| title_short | Longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy |
| title_sort | longitudinal investigation of neurobiological changes across pregnancy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07414-9 |
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