It is well known that during pregnancy, the mother-to-be secretes new hormones that allow her to adapt to the arrival of her baby. But what about future fathers? Of course, they do not carry life for 9 months, but their brain also reorganizes information and hormones. Discover three recent studies that have just highlighted the transformations that the brain undergoes during fatherhood!
A more developed sensitivity
In a new study published in 2022, a research team highlighted significant brain changes in men who became fathers. Changes appeared in particular in regions of the cerebral cortex contributing to visual processing, attention, and empathy towards the baby. In neuroscience, we speak of experience-induced brain plasticity, such as when learning a new instrument or a new language.
During this study, 73 future fathers provided saliva samples 4 weeks before their partner gave birth and 5 weeks after the birth of their child. The result is quite striking since we observe a strong increase in the production of hormones acting on the capacity for attention and sensitivity. A man who has become a father would then be much more sensitive to the multiple experiences of life!
Increased vigilance
Another study combed the brains of expectant fathers for several months. During this study, it emerged that the brain changes by sorting and keeping only the good information. The brain of the future dad will eliminate useless neural connections and then develop new ones, exactly as it already did during childhood or adolescence. The young father would then be more perceptive in detecting problems and solving them. This cerebral flexibility would also make him more empathetic and vigilant about the needs of his protégé.
These transformations in the brain are mainly triggered by taking care of the child daily: helping him develop, trying to understand his needs, and having physical contact with him… All these moments of sharing only strengthen these new neural connections. So we are not born a father, we become one and the brain is perfectly capable of acclimatizing to this new role, which is enough to reassure more than one!
Duration of paternity leave influences neural transformations
A final study was conducted last year on 40 men (20 in Spain and 20 in California). During this study, 2 MRI scans were performed on these participants: first during their partner’s pregnancy, then 6 months after the baby was born. A control group of 17 childless men was used to compare the data obtained. The study reveals different changes in the brains of fathers from prenatal to postpartum, which did not emerge in childless men. Also, the researchers found a clear gap between Spanish and Californian fathers, who do not benefit from the same length of paternity leave. The Spanish, who have longer paternity leave, obtained a much more pronounced change than the Californians in the regions of the brain that support goal-directed attention, which can help them adapt to the needs of infants. However, the study does not allow us to know whether it is the time spent caring for the newborn that explains these brain changes or whether it is these brain changes that push young fathers to be more with their babies. Paternity leave thus appears to be of great importance in the progression for both the father and the child, which is one of the reasons why France doubled its number of paternity leave days in 2021: going from 14 to 28 days for young fathers. A great opportunity to take the time to build a strong bond between the father and his newborn. As a business leader, also remember to listen to the needs of young fathers and support them during their paternity leave!