Have you ever thought about how becoming a parent doesn’t just affect a mother’s body, but also has an impact on the father’s brain? Well, it turns out that research is showing that pregnancy can cause changes in the paternal brain as well.

In a recent article published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, psychiatrists Dr. Hugo Bottemanne and Dr. Lucie Joly discuss how studies using human brain imaging have focused on the changes in the father’s brain after the birth of a child. It may sound surprising that something happening in another person’s body can have such a profound effect on someone else, but experts in the field find it to be quite logical.

Evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Anna Machin explains that both parents are biologically wired to parent, and studies have shown that men also undergo changes in their brains similar to women during pregnancy and childbirth. These changes are not just hormonal, but also involve alterations in brain structure.

Research has indicated that fathers can experience changes in gray matter in various brain regions associated with parental motivation. A study conducted in 2014 found increased gray matter in regions such as the hypothalamus and amygdala, while decreased gray matter volume was observed in other areas.

Additionally, further research has shown that fathers exhibit functional changes in response to stimuli related to their children, with greater brain activation compared to non-fathers. A recent study compared brain changes in fathers from Spain and California during and after their partner’s pregnancy, revealing differences in brain regions associated with attention, empathy, and visual processing.

These changes in the paternal brain are made possible by neuroplasticity, which allows the brain to adapt and change even in adulthood. Instead of being purely instinctual, parenting behaviors are believed to develop through spending time with the child and the brain adapting as a result.

Researchers stress the importance of governments offering paternity leave to allow fathers bonding time with their children, which can benefit the mental health of both parents. While there is still much to learn in this area, it is evident that pregnancy can lead to significant changes in the brains of both mothers and fathers.

Longitudinal studies are necessary to compare brain changes in fathers during preconception, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. Understanding the cerebral processes affecting the paternal brain is vital for gaining insight into the complexities of parenthood.