The Paternal Transition Entails Neuroanatomic Adaptations that are Associated with the Father's Brain Response to his Infant Cues
Paternina-Die, María (Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM))
Martínez-García, Magdalena (Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM))
Pretus, Clara (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psiquiatria i de Medicina Legal)
Hoekzema, Elseline (Leiden University)
Barba-Müller, Erika (Universitat Ramon Llull)
Martín de Blas, Daniel (Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM))
Pozzobon, Cristina (Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad)
Ballesteros, Agustín (Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad)
Vilarroya Oliver, Óscar (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psiquiatria i de Medicina Legal)
Desco, Manuel (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)
Carmona Cañabate, Susana (Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM))

Date:	2020
Abstract:	The transition into fatherhood is a life-changing event that requires substantial psychological adaptations. In families that include a father figure, sensitive paternal behavior has been shown to positively impact the infant's development. Yet, studies exploring the neuroanatomic adaptations of men in their transition into fatherhood are scarce. The present study used surface-based methods to reanalyze a previously published prospective magnetic resonance imaging dataset comprised of 20 first-time fathers (preconception-to-postpartum) and 17 childless men. We tested if the transition into fatherhood entailed changes in cortical volume, thickness, and area and whether these changes were related to 2 indicators of paternal experience. Specifically, we tested if such changes were associated with (1) the baby's age and/or (2) the fathers' brain activity in response to pictures of their babies compared with an unknown baby. Results indicated that first-time fathers exhibited a significant reduction in cortical volume and thickness of the precuneus. Moreover, higher volume reduction and cortical thinning were associated with stronger brain responses to pictures of their own baby in parental brain regions. This is the first study showing preconception-to-postpartum neuroanatomical adaptations in first-time fathers associated with the father's brain response to cues of his infant.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SEV-2015-0505 "la Caixa" Foundation LCF/PR/HR19/52160001 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CP16/00096 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad FI18/00255 European Commission 801091 Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI17/00064 Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades RTI2018-093952-B-100
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Fatherhood ; MRI ; Neuroimaging ; Parental brain
Published in:	Cerebral Cortex Communications, Vol. 1 (november 2020) , ISSN 2632-7376

DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa082
PMID: 34296140

11 p, 780.9 KB

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