Research shows that a woman's brain and body undergo drastic changes to support her
transition to parenthood during the perinatal period. The presence of this plasticity suggests …

The transition to motherhood is a time when nearly all aspects of a female's existence are
modified—from her biological processes to her social role. In recent years we have …

The field of neuroscience has largely overlooked the impact of motherhood on brain function
outside the context of responses to infant stimuli. Here, we apply spectral dynamic causal …

Exposure to infant crying is a well-established predictor of mothers' mental health. However,
this association may reflect many potential mechanisms. Capturing dynamic fluctuations in …

Maternal childhood maltreatment experiences (CMEs) may influence responses to infants
and affect child outcomes. We examined associations between CME and mothers' neural …

This review summarizes recent findings on stress-related programming of brain
development in utero, with an emphasis on situating findings within the mothers' broader …

During the postpartum period, new mothers experience drastic changes in their body, brain,
and life circumstances. Stress from the emotional and physical demands of caring for an …

Highlights•Stress exposure can disrupt maternal behavior in humans and rodents.•Stress
exposure downregulates mesolimbic dopamine system function.•Stress-induced dopamine …

Mothers who use substances during pregnancy and postpartum may have altered maternal
behavior towards their infants, which can have negative consequences on infant social …

The transition to becoming a mother involves numerous emotional challenges, and the
ability to effectively keep negative emotions in check is critical for parenting. Evidence …