Dynamic Alterations in Spontaneous Brain Activity in Mothers:A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Becoming a mother is one of the most monumental experiences in a woman's lifetime. Women typically bear the primary caregiving responsibility for their infants, and they undergo numerous changes both mentally and physically, including behavioral, emotional, and hormonal changes, during the postpartum period. Studies have indicated that hormonal, experiential, and temporal factors significantly regulate emotional and cognitive brain functions during the postpartum period [1]. The determination of the neural basis of a maternal brain is critically important for understanding mother-infant attachments and thus perpetuating the human species. Until recently, limited investigations of the neuroanatomical and functional status of mothers have contributed to understanding the processing of maternal behaviors.