Thread by @OrchardWinnie

Wondering how #motherhood affects our brains and minds longterm? 🧠🤰Our new @TrendsCognSci review integrates human & animal maternal brain literatures w/ theories of cognitive ageing, to offer a framework for understanding maternal cognition across the lifespan!! @ParentalBrain

Here, we describe the transition to motherhood as a major biosocial life event and a neurocognitive developmental stage which may POSITIVELY impact cognition and the brain across the lifespan!! 🧠💪@SharnaJamadar @hjvrutherford @AvramHolmes Access it here:
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

We review changes to maternal cognition across the lifespan, using a neurodevelopmental framework to explain a U-shaped cognitive trajectory of:
(1) cognitive decrements in pregnancy
(2) postpartum cognitive renormalisation, &
(3) potential cognitive improvements long-term

We argue that novel challenges in early parenthood involve increased responsibilities, and therefore increase cognitive load. This increased cognitive load remains high across the lifespan and parents continually adjust their behaviours to meet growing children's changing needs.

While this cognitive load is demanding, and may feel challenging, long-term exposure to complex environments is generally GOOD for our brains💪🧠. In animals, we call this "environmental enrichment", and in humans the analogous concept is "cognitive reserve".

We propose that the very same cognitive load which poses a challenge in early motherhood may be beneficial to the brain and mind in the long-term! 🤹‍♀️🤩 Motherhood may increase cognitive reserve via sustained and dynamic environmental complexity!

This framework is consistent w/ the few studies of maternal cognition in humans. But, to understand the longterm impact of parenthood, MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED. Future research requires large, diverse, & well-defined samples, & should extend beyond birthing mothers to all parents.

Also pls keep in mind, whilst the environment of parenthood may be beneficial, there are many other ways to ⬆️⬆️ cognitive reserve (e.g. demanding jobs/hobbies), so those w/out children are not "missing out". Please read the full paper for more context/nuance in interpreting🤓