Long-term association of pregnancy and maternal brain structure: the Rotterdam Study

• DOI: 10.1007/s10654-021-00818-5
• Publication Date: 2022-01-06T10:03:22Z
• Authors: Jurate Aleknaviciute; Tavia E. Evans; Elif Aribas; Merel W. de Vries; Eric A. P. Steegers; Mohammad Arfan Ikram; Henning Tiemeier; Maryam Kavousi; Meike W. Vernooij; Steven A. Kushner
• Keywords: Rotterdam Study

The peripartum period is the highest risk interval for onset or exacerbation of psychiatric illness in women's lives. Notably, pregnancy and childbirth have been associated with short-term structural functional changes maternal human brain. Yet long-term effects on brain structure remain unknown. We investigated a large population-based cohort to examine association between parity structure. In total, 2,835 women (mean age 65.2 years; all free from dementia, stroke, cortical infarcts) Rotterdam Study underwent magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 T) 2005 2015. Associations global lobar tissue volumes, white matter microstructure, markers vascular disease were examined using regression models. found that was larger gray volume (β = 0.14, 95% CI 0.09-0.19), finding persisted following adjustment sociodemographic factors. A non-significant dose-dependent relationship observed higher number childbirths volume. globally proportional across lobes. No associations regarding integrity, nor cerebral small vessel disease. current findings suggest are robust involving persists decades. Future studies warranted further investigate mechanism physiological relevance these differences morphology.