February 2020 PMID 31757430

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness to offspring cues.

Elseline Hoekzema, Christian K Tamnes, Puck Berns, Erika Barba-Müller, Cristina Pozzobon, Marisol Picado, Florencio Lucco, Magdalena Martínez-García, Manuel Desco, Agustín Ballesteros, Eveline A Crone, Oscar Vilarroya, Susanna Carmona

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Mentions

47
Peak: 8 in Feb 2020
across 5 sources since Nov 2019

Extended reach

70,179
potential audience

Total likes

99

Video views

1,761

Mentions per month

Nov 2019 – Jun 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter20 posts
  • News20 articles
  • Blogs3 articles
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Facebook2 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The chosen words and tone reflect a positive and intrigued perspective, with posts praising the research (

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge and support the findings, especially noting that becoming a mother causes lasting brain changes that enhance responsiveness to offspring cues.

InterestHigh interest

The topic sparks high curiosity, with many posts emphasizing the significance of neurobiological changes in motherhood and personal experiences.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts include references to related research, biological processes, and implications, indicating moderate depth of engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

While the discussions highlight the importance of the findings, they mostly focus on scientific insight and personal relevance rather than immediate practical applications.

Abstract in brief

  • Becoming a mother causes structural changes in the ventral striatum (VStr) of the brain, which enhances its response to offspring cues.
  • These changes involve a decrease in the volume of the VStr during pregnancy, and greater reductions are linked to stronger brain activation when mothers see their infants.
  • The study suggests that pregnancy triggers specific anatomical adaptations in the reward system that help mothers respond more strongly to their baby's signals.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Marc Arginteanu, MD
@ArginteanuMarc · X

Any mother can tell you that after having a baby, her body was permanently changed. her brain may also be forever changed the gray matter in the mother's ventral striatum (reward center of the brain) may be permanently altered https://t.co/xSynydSdUX https://t.co/532iQrUufo

May 16, 2021 · 10 likes · 2 shares · 35,377 followers View post →
Christian K. Tamnes
@cktamnes · X

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/OWs65GkPjg

Nov 8, 2019 · 8 likes · 2 shares · 1,105 followers View post →
Riseup-PPD
@RiseupPPD · X

Our members Magdalena Martínez-García and Susanna Carmona and colleagues have just published their work in anatomical brain changes in becoming a mother! Fascinating work! #riseupppd Link: https://t.co/6aqJDQVNnv

Nov 25, 2019 · 6 likes · 3 shares · 522 followers View post →
Diego J Palao
@DiegoJPalao · X

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/t7xdg3pcJh

Feb 8, 2020 · 5 likes · 4 shares · 845 followers View post →
Êkhố
@SoyEkho · X

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness to offspring cues. https://t.co/4ypjBcNmV8

Feb 11, 2020 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 776 followers View post →
Thomas K. Keenan
@explorerkeenan · X

Congratulations! Further interesting reading about #mothers and #fathers (in her timeline): 1. https://t.co/m0v7ke9p3l 2. https://t.co/TjNc04xl1h https://t.co/hULBEBQeow

Sep 15, 2022 · 3 likes · 57 followers View post →

All mentions

Thomas K. Keenan
@explorerkeenan · X

Congratulations! Further interesting reading about #mothers and #fathers (in her timeline): 1. https://t.co/m0v7ke9p3l 2. https://t.co/TjNc04xl1h https://t.co/hULBEBQeow

Sep 15, 2022 · 3 likes · 57 followers View post →
Bethe Merle Boston McK.
@BetheMckenzie · X

RT @horacejuvenal: Pregnancy reduces the volume of the evil ventral striatum in preparation for motherhood. https://t.co/4VJN3UfGJ1

Jul 8, 2022 · 1 share · 1,555 followers View post →
Donna Flynn
@flynnd25 · X

RT @ArginteanuMarc: Any mother can tell you that after having a baby, her body was permanently changed. her brain may also be forever chan…

May 16, 2021 · 2 shares · 168 followers View post →
Marc Arginteanu, MD
@ArginteanuMarc · X

Any mother can tell you that after having a baby, her body was permanently changed. her brain may also be forever changed the gray matter in the mother's ventral striatum (reward center of the brain) may be permanently altered https://t.co/xSynydSdUX https://t.co/532iQrUufo

May 16, 2021 · 10 likes · 2 shares · 35,377 followers View post →
BeMother (BabyBrain)
@BeMotherProject · X

Feb 10, 2021 · 595 followers View post →
Science Alerts
@Science_Alerts · X

RT @EurekaMag: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness t…

Nov 10, 2020 · 2 shares · 1,241 followers View post →
POPLINE
@POPLINE_org · X

RT @EurekaMag: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness t…

Nov 10, 2020 · 2 shares · 5,257 followers View post →
EurekaMag
@EurekaMag · X

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness to offspring cues https://t.co/8xPTpLRqrd

Nov 10, 2020 · 2 shares · 6,519 followers View post →
Horace Juvenal
@horacejuvenal · X

Pregnancy reduces the volume of the evil ventral striatum in preparation for motherhood. https://t.co/4VJN3UfGJ1

Aug 13, 2020 · 2 likes · 1 share · 217 followers View post →
Dr. Angélica Torres-Berrío
@angelica_atb · X

RT @SoyEkho: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness to…

Feb 20, 2020 · 2 shares · 2,115 followers View post →
Andry Andrianarivelo
@Andrianarivelo_ · X

RT @SoyEkho: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness to…

Feb 20, 2020 · 2 shares · 2,171 followers View post →
ab ira leonis
@jytienspas · X

RT @DiegoJPalao: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/t7xdg3pcJh

Feb 13, 2020 · 4 shares · 766 followers View post →
SEPSM
@SEPsiq · X

RT @DiegoJPalao: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/t7xdg3pcJh

Feb 13, 2020 · 4 shares · 5,694 followers View post →
Êkhố
@SoyEkho · X

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum of the human brain that facilitate its responsiveness to offspring cues. https://t.co/4ypjBcNmV8

Feb 11, 2020 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 776 followers View post →
Roser Nadal
@RoserNadal · X

RT @DiegoJPalao: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/t7xdg3pcJh

Feb 9, 2020 · 4 shares · 2,373 followers View post →
Marisa Carrio
@marisa_carrio · X

RT @DiegoJPalao: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/t7xdg3pcJh

Feb 8, 2020 · 4 shares · 171 followers View post →
Diego J Palao
@DiegoJPalao · X

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/t7xdg3pcJh

Feb 8, 2020 · 5 likes · 4 shares · 845 followers View post →
Riseup-PPD
@RiseupPPD · X

Our members Magdalena Martínez-García and Susanna Carmona and colleagues have just published their work in anatomical brain changes in becoming a mother! Fascinating work! #riseupppd Link: https://t.co/6aqJDQVNnv

Nov 25, 2019 · 6 likes · 3 shares · 522 followers View post →
Sarah Whittle
@SarahLWhittle · X

RT @CTamnes: Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/OWs65GkPjg

Nov 8, 2019 · 2 shares · 805 followers View post →
Christian K. Tamnes
@cktamnes · X

Becoming a mother entails anatomical changes in the ventral striatum o... https://t.co/OWs65GkPjg

Nov 8, 2019 · 8 likes · 2 shares · 1,105 followers View post →