Research results that ``the volume of the brain decreases'' in the father who gave the child for the first time
It is known that the hormonal balance changes in the body of a woman who is pregnant with a child, which has a great effect on the mind and body. A new study found that changes are caused not only in the mother but also in the ``brain of the father who gave the child for the first time''.
First-time fathers show longitudinal gray matter cortical volume reductions: evidence from two international samples | Cerebral Cortex | Oxford Academic
First-Time Dads May Experience Brain Shrinkage, Scientists Find : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/first-time-dads-may-experience-brain-shrinkage-scientists-find
Pregnancy and childbirth cause significant changes in the mind and body of women, and a 2016 study also found that gray matter and hippocampus decreased in the brains of pregnant women. This change is considered an adaptation to motherhood and is thought to have beneficial effects on parenting.
Research reveals that pregnancy changes a woman's brain and strengthens ``power as a mother''-GIGAZINE
On the other hand, among fathers who do not get pregnant themselves, the effects of having children have received less attention, and the few studies on brain volume changes have been inconsistent or incomplete. It has also been reported that fathers become 'postpartum depression' like mothers, but Science Alert of scientific media points out that this is rarely recognized as a problem.
Therefore, in a new study conducted by a research team in Spain and the United States, ``the father's brain before and after the birth of the partner'' was scanned with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to analyze changes in brain volume and thickness.
A total of 40 subjects, all heterosexual partners, were recruited in half in Spain and half in the United States. Spanish subjects underwent MRI scans before their partner's pregnancy and 2-3 months after delivery, while US subjects underwent MRI scans during their partner's mid-to-late pregnancy and 7-8 months after delivery. In addition, a brain scan was also performed as a control group for `` 17 men who do not have children '' living in Spain.
Analysis of brain scan data revealed that fathers who had children for the first time lost an average of 1 to 2% of the brain's gray matter volume. This gray matter depletion occurred mainly in brain activity called the '
Hearing that 'brain volume has decreased' may have a negative image, but in fact it may help strengthen the connection with the child and adapt to the role of a father. Also, the reduction in cortical volume in the visual network is consistent with the 2020 study that ``fathers are better at visual memory tasks than men without children.''
The research team said, ``These findings suggest that the visual system plays a unique role in how fathers perceive and respond to their children, a hypothesis that should be confirmed in future research.'' 'Understanding the impact of the structural changes that accompany fatherhood on parenting and child development is a largely unexplored topic and provides exciting avenues for future research.' .
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