Mommy Brain Revisited

64. How a Second Pregnancy Reshapes the Maternal Brain 19.06.2026 19min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, host Dr. Jodi Pawluski speaks with Dr. Elseline Hoekzema about her recent research on how pregnancy reshapes the brain—and whether those changes happen differently during a second pregnancy.Drawing on longitudinal brain imaging studies, Dr. Hoekzema explains how many of the structural brain changes observed in first-time mothers reappear during a second pregnancy, but often to a lesser degree. The conversation explores how pregnancy fine-tunes brain networks involved in social cognition, self-perception, attention, and processing sensory cues, while also revealing unique adaptations that may help mothers manage the demands of caring for multiple children.They discuss the concept of "maternal memory," why some brain changes appear to be long-lasting, and how becoming a mother for the first time may trigger distinct neural adaptations that are not repeated in subsequent pregnancies. The episode offers a fascinating look at the latest neuroscience of motherhood and what researchers are learning about the remarkable plasticity of the parental brain. The ResearchThe featured study is published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology Special Issue on the Parental Brain, edited by Dr Jodi Pawluski, Dr Joseph Lonstein, Dr Susana Carmona and Dr Oscar Vilarroya.Publication information:Halmans S, Straathof M, van 't Hof S, Denys D, Crone EA, Månsson KNT, Hoekzema E. Neural variability across the transition to motherhood: Enhanced moment-to-moment neural variability during mentalizing in first-time mothers. J Neuroendocrinol. 2026 May;38(5):e70191. doi: 10.1111/jne.70191. PMID: 42062236; PMCID: PMC13132796. Halmans S, Straathof M, van 't Hof S, Denys D, Crone EA, Månsson KNT, Hoekzema E. Pregnancy changes the variability of brain signaling, NeuroImage, Volume 333, 2026, 121923,ISSN 1053-8119, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121923. Special thanks to Agnes, the Communications Officer, British Society for Neuroendocrinology for editing! Visit www.jodipawluski.com for more on all things parenting and perinatal mental health.

63. Fatherhood, Motivation, and the Paternal Brain 19.05.2026 21min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, host Dr. Jodi Pawluski speaks with Dr. James Rilling from the Department of Psychology at Emory University about his recent paper published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology special issue on the parental brain. The conversation explores how fatherhood changes the brain, with a focus on motivation, reward, and neural mechanisms involved in paternal caregiving.Drawing on both human and animal research, Dr. Rillingdiscusses how becoming a parent may reshape motivational systems in the brain.Inspired by studies in maternal behavior in rats, his research investigates whether human fathers experience similar shifts in reward processing and caregiving motivation across the transition to parenthood.The ResearchThe featured study examined how brain function and caregiving motivation change in first-time fathers from pregnancy through the postpartum period. The research is published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology.Publication information: The transition to human fatherhood involves increased brain activation to infant stimuli in regions involved with reward and motivationJames K. Rilling, Minwoo Lee, Carolyn Zhou, Esther Jung, Ella Arrant, Sijia Wu, Jessica A. Cooper, Agena Davenport-Nicholson, Michael T. TreadwayFirst published: 22 December 2025 https://doi.org/10.1111/jne.70127 Special thanks to Agnes, the Communications Officer, BritishSociety for Neuroendocrinology for editing! Visit www.jodipawluski.com for more on all things parenting and perinatal mental health.

62. Midwifery Student's Q&A about the Maternal Brain 28.03.2026 31min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, I answer thoughtful and candid questions submitted by midwifery students, our next generation of birth workers. I dive into what questions they have around brain changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period, what this means for perinatal mental health, what mechanisms may be involved, and more. This episode offers insight for both students and anyone curious about brain changes in pregnancy and the postpartum period. ---If you would like to learn more about the parental brain and perinatal mental health, check out my workshop and training offers at www.jodipawluski.com

61. SSRIs and Pregnancy 11.12.2025 23min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, Dr Tim Oberlander and I briefly discuss SSRI use in pregnancy and the importance of focusing on maternal mental health in this area of research. Our conversation centers on our perspective, Potential risks and benefits of prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications for maternal mental health and child development published in Nature Mental Health. We emphasize the complexity of separating medication effects from underlying maternal depression and the importance of comprehensive approaches, including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments. For more on current treatment guidelines for perinatal mental health see: https://www.canmat.org/2025/02/12/available-now-canmat-2024-guidelines-for-perinatal-mood-anxiety-and-related-disorders-and-accompanying-patient-and-family-guide/ Dr. Tim Oberlander has over 3 decades of research on maternal mental health, SSRIs and child development. He is a Developmental Pediatrician, Clinician-Scientist and Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Population Public Health, University of British Columbia and BC Children’s Hospital. Our publication: Pawluski, J., Oberlander, T.F. Potential risksand benefits of prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications for maternal mental health and child development. Nat. Mental Health 3,1304–1310 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00480-wFor more on your host see www.jodipawluski.com or follow Jodi on Instagram or LinkedIn.

60. Psychedelics Postpartum 15.11.2025 24min

In this episode, I sit down with Danielle S. Stolzenberg, Ph.D. , Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, whose work explores the neuroscience of care. Dr. Stolzenberg shares insights from her emerging research on psychedelic compounds in the postpartum period, examining how substances like psilocybin may influence maternal stress, bonding, and brain plasticity.Whether you’re interested in neuroscience, maternal health, or the rapidly evolving field of psychedelic science, this conversation provides a grounded and thought-provoking look at what we know—and what we still need to learn—about psychedelics postpartum.Dr Stolzenberg's Lab : https://stolzenberg.wixsite.com/laboratoryPaper we discuss: Hatzipantelis, C.J., Liu, M., Love, A. et al. Psilocybin during the postpartum period induces long-lasting adverse effects in both mothers and offspring. Nat Commun 16, 8630 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64371-5 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64371-5Music: Luna Wave via SoundstripeEditing with the help of Descript!

59. Probiotics and the Maternal Brain 16.09.2025 19min

Welcome to another episode of Mommy Brain Revisited! In this episode, I’m joined by Prof. Joseph Lonstein (Michigan State University) to talk about our recent research on how probiotic treatment shapes the maternal gut–microbiota–brain axis.This work—published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology as part of the Parental Brain Special Issue—explores how reproductive experience influences the effects of Lactocaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001 on gut microbiota and hippocampal plasticity in female rats:📖 Citation: Pawluski JL, Kacimi K, Zhang C, Guillot L, Guidice AL, Charlier TD, Lonstein JS. Reproductive experience influences the effects of Lactocaseibacillus rhamnosus HN001 on gut microbiota and hippocampal plasticity in female rats. J Neuroendocrinol. 2025 Jul 22:e70068. doi: 10.1111/jne.70068The Journal of Neuroendocrinology (owned by the British Society for Neuroendocrinology) is the go-to international journal for neuroendocrine research, with an Impact Factor of 4.1 and a CiteScore of 7.9. Learn more here: Journal website.Stay tuned for more episodes in collaboration with the Parental Brain Special Issue at Mommy Brain Revisited!🎵 Music: Luna Wave – “All In My Head” via SoundStripe.

58. Maternal Affect and Mother-Offspring Dynamics 08.08.2025 34min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, I’m joined by Dr. Mariana Pereira, an Associate Professor at UMass. We dive into the maternal affective state and mother-offspring interactions in an animal model of depressive-like behavior. We also talk about dopamine, maternal mental health and treatment strategies. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on brain changes with maternal mood!For more about Dr Pereira's research, see here. Here is a direct link to the study we talk about. Tuncali, I., Sorial, N., Torr, K. et al. Positive maternal affect during mother–litter interaction is reduced in new mother rats exhibiting a depression-like phenotype. Sci Rep 13, 6552 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33035-z

57. Prolactin and Thermoregulation in Pregnancy 04.07.2025 29min

Pregnancy isn’t just about a baby bump—it’s also a massive hormonal and physiological shift, including how the body regulates temperature.In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, I’m joined by Dr. Rosie Brown, a Senior Lecturer and Group Leader at the University of Otago in New Zealand. We dive into the hormone prolactin—its role in motherhood and the brain—and explore her team’s groundbreaking research on how prolactin helps regulate body temperature during pregnancy. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on all things prolactin and parenting!For more information on Dr Brown’s research see:https://www.otago.ac.nz/neuroendocrinology/research/rosie-brown Here is the citation and link to the publication we talk about:Ladyman SR, Georgescu TR, Stewart AM, Khant Aung Z, Cheong I, Grattan DR, Brown RSE. Prolactin modulation of thermoregulatory circuits provides resilience to thermal challenge of pregnancy. Cell Rep. 2025 Apr 22;44(4):115567. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115567. Epub 2025 Apr 11. PMID: 40215163.

56. Postpartum Brain Changes 15.05.2025 26min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Prof Dr Natalya Chechko, a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy at Aachen University. We talk about her recent research investigating maternal brain changes and mental health. We also talk about the neuroendocrine factors that may be involved and how to visualize them in the human brain. Fascinating research! Enjoy. For more information on Dr Chechko’s research see here .Here is a link to her recent .

55. Emotion Regulation and the Maternal Brain 04.04.2025 33min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Katie Haigler, a graduate student at Penn State, about her research detailing how the maternal brain processes infant and adult emotion cues - aiding in our understanding of emotion regulation in parents. Interesting!For more about Katie’s research seehttps://hhd.psu.edu/contact/katherine-haigler Here is a direct link to the paper we talk about.

54. Caregiving and the Paternal Brain 07.03.2025 37min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Prof Wendy Saltzman, who is in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at the University of California, Riverside. We talk about her research detailing how caregiving affects the paternal brain and how fascinating parenting is in many species! For more about her research see :https://profiles.ucr.edu/wendy.saltzmanFor a direct link to her lab website see :https://sites.google.com/site/saltzmanlaboratory/Do you want to show your support fo MBR? Give us a rating or buy me a coffee (beer or book) https://buymeacoffee.com/mommybrainrevisited

53. Brain Changes Across Pregnancy 07.02.2025 46min

In this episode I talk with Dr Laura Pritschet about her recent research detailing how the brain changes across pregnancy. It’s a fascinating study! Dr Pritschet is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. For more about her see: https://www.pennlinc.io/team/laura-pritschet The study we talk about: Pritschet L, Taylor CM, Cossio D, Faskowitz J, Santander T, Handwerker DA, Grotzinger H, Layher E, Chrastil ER, Jacobs EG. Neuroanatomical changes observed over the course of a human pregnancy. Nat Neurosci. 2024 Nov;27(11):2253-2260. doi: 10.1038/s41593-024-01741-0. Epub 2024 Sep 16. PMID: 39284962; PMCID: PMC11537970. Music: All in my head by Luna Wave via Soundstripe

52. Oxytocin and Baby Cries 01.11.2024 49min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, I talk with Dr Silvana Valtcheva, a Junior Group Leader at University of Cologne in the Faculty of Medicine, about her recent work on oxytocin and it’s role in the maternal brain and behaviour. For more about Dr Valtcheva’s research see: www.valtchevalab.com Paper we talk about: Valtcheva S*#, Issa HA*, Bair-Marshall CJ, Martin KA, Jung K, Zhang Y, Kwon HB, Froemke RC#, Neural circuitry for maternal oxytocin release induced by infant cries. 2023 Nature. Sep;621(7980):788-795. (*co-first author; #co-corresponding author) music: "All In My Head" by Luna Wave from Soundstripe

51. Dad Brain 06.09.2024 29min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited, I talk with Dr Darby Saxbe, Professor of Psychology at USC Dornslife. We talk about her recent work on how brain changes in fathers may reflect parenting engagement and mental health risk. Fascinating! For more about Dr Saxbe see https://dornsife.usc.edu/nestlab/current-members/ Her book ‘Dad Brain’ will be out in 2026! Can't wait! Paper we talk about: Saxbe D, Martínez-García M. Cortical volume reductions in men transitioning to first-time fatherhood reflect both parenting engagement and mental health risk. Cereb Cortex. 2024 Apr 1;34(4):bhae126. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhae126. PMID: 38615244. For more about Jodi Pawluski see www.jodipawluski.com. music: All In My Head - Luna Wave via Soundstripe

50. Birth and the Brain 06.09.2024 27min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Dr Susana Carmona, Research Scientist at the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón in Madrid, Spain. We talk about her recent research on how a mother’s brain changes from late pregnancy to the early postpartum published in Nature Neuroscience early this year. Fascinating research and the first of its kind! For more about Dr Carmona see: https://neuromaternal.es/ Her book is available in Spanish and titled: Neuromaternal: ¿Qué le pasa a mi cerebro durante el embarazo y la maternidad?. For our episode together on Matrescence and Adolescence see episode 6 here. Paper we talk about: Paternina-Die, M., Martínez-García, M., Martín de Blas, D. et al. Women’s neuroplasticity during gestation, childbirth and postpartum. Nat Neurosci 27, 319–327 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01513-2⁠ Link to paper⁠ Music: Luna Wave via Soundstripe

49. Nesting and Neurons 05.07.2024 51min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Dr Nicolas Renier, the Team Leader of the Laboratory of Structural Plasticity at the Paris Brain Institute. We talk about his work on the neural mechanisms modulating nest building in mice during pregnancy. A fascinating study with amazing neuroscience techniques. We also talk about the value of using pregnancy as a model to understand neurophysiological processes, the important role of pregnancy in remodeling certain parts of the brain, what progesterone can do to neurons and more. Fascinating! For more about Dr Renier see: www.renier-lab.com Link to paper Paper citation: Topilko T, Diaz SL, Pacheco CM, Verny F, Rousseau CV, Kirst C, Deleuze C, Gaspar P, Renier N. Edinger-Westphal peptidergic neurons enable maternal preparatory nesting. Neuron. 2022 Apr 20;110(8):1385-1399.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.01.012. Epub 2022 Feb 4. PMID: 35123655; PMCID: PMC9090132. Music: Luna Wave via Soundstripe

48. Growing a Social Brain 07.06.2024 53min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Dr Shir Atzil an Assistant Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. We discuss her recent Perspective in Nature Human Behaviour titled ‘Growing A Social Brain’. A must read! We talk about the importance of a caregiver or caregivers in growing a social brain, what happens when infants are more challenging or parents are struggling, and the fact that the parental brain is actually in charge of two brains. You won’t want to miss this one! For more information on Dr Atzil see https://www.atzillab.com/ Here is a link to the paper that we talk about: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0384-6#auth-Shir-Atzil Citation: Atzil, S., Gao, W., Fradkin, I. et al. Growing a social brain. Nat Hum Behav 2, 624–636 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0384-6

47. Bonding with Bump: Interoception and Pregnancy 03.05.2024 56min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Dr Catherine Preston, an Associate Professor at the University of York. We talk about body sensations in pregnancy, trusting your perinatal body, bonding to bump, birth experience, and more. We also talk about the need to focus our research on pregnancy and importance of understanding the connection between interoception and the maternal brain in health and illness. For more information on Dr Preston’s research see https://www.york.ac.uk/psychology/staff/academicstaff/cp1039/ Here is a link to the paper that we talk about: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026661382400024X Citation for paper: Lucy Stafford, Lydia Munns, Anna E. Crossland, Elizabeth Kirk, Catherine E.J. Preston, Bonding with bump: Interoceptive sensibility moderates the relationship between pregnancy body satisfaction and antenatal attachment, Midwifery, Volume 131, 2024, 103940, ISSN 0266-6138,

46. A Model of Perinatal Mental Illness 05.04.2024 52min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Dr Danielle Stolzenberg, an Associate Professor at UC Davis, about the nonhormonal basis of parenting, modelling perinatal mental illness, and the 51 Foundation which she started. We also talk about the need to understand current treatments for perinatal mental illness (particularly SSRIs) and the importance of funding research in females. Yes! For more information on Dr Stolzenberg see https://psychology.ucdavis.edu/people/dstolzen Here is a link to the paper that we talk about: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34674243/ Paper citation: Rosinger ZJ, Mayer HS, Geyfen JI, Orser MK, Stolzenberg DS. Ethologically relevant repeated acute social stress induces maternal neglect in the lactating female mouse. Dev Psychobiol. 2021 Nov;63(7):e22173. doi: 10.1002/dev.22173. PMID: 34674243; PMCID: PMC10631567.

45. Mom Power 04.12.2023 59min

In this episode of Mommy Brain Revisited I talk with Dr Maria Muzik and Dr. Katherine Rosenblum about Mom Power, a parenting intervention they developed, and how it impacts parents and the parental brain. Both are Professors in the Departments Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, as well as Co-Directors of Zero To Thrive & Women and Infant Mental Health Program at the University of Michigan. We talk about the development of Mom Power, it’s core components and the research supporting the importance of this group intervention. We also talk about attachment, the importance of nature, and building ‘strong roots’. It was an honor to speak with these two inspiring clinician-scientists. If you work with parents, this episode is a must. For more information on Mom Power and Zero to Thrive, including research and training opportunities see: https://zerotothrive.org/ Here is a link to the paper on the parental brain that we talk about: https://zerotothrive.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Frontiers-Mom-Power.pdf