研究发现男性当爹大脑皮层会萎缩

近日，一项发表在《大脑皮层》（Cerebral Cortex）期刊上的研究表明，随着第一个孩子的出生，新手爸爸大脑皮层的体积会损失1%或者2%。

这听起来像是件坏事，但它实际上表明大脑结构的改善，可以让父亲与孩子的联系更加有力和有效。

无注释原文：

First-Time Dads May Experience Brain Shrinkage, Scientists Find

From: Science Alert

Becoming a new parent is an adjustment for both men and women.

A dozen or so previous studies have shown that motherhood can change the structure of a person's brain, and yet fatherhood is comparatively overlooked.

Now, new international research has identified neurological changes amongst first-time fathers as well.

The study is only small, but it suggests that the neural substrates of parenthood are not exclusive to mothers. Men, as it turns out, can also be impacted by their new role as a parent, albeit in a less pronounced and uniform way.

On average, the researchers found new fathers lost a percentage or two of cortical volume following the birth of their first child.

This shrinkage was mainly confined to an area of the brain known as the 'default mode network', which is associated with parental acceptance and warmth.

At first, a loss in cortical volume might sound like a bad thing, but it can actually indicate a refinement of the brain that makes connecting with a child more powerful and efficient.

Similar cortical losses in mothers, for example, are associated with greater neural responses to a child and stronger child-parent attachment.

Previous studies have shown that there are subtle neurological changes in the male brain following the birth of a child, but the little evidence that has been collected has proved mixed and conflicting.

Some studies show increases in gray matter following the birth of a child, while others show losses. Different regions of the brain have also been implicated, and few methods have differentiated between childless men, first-time fathers, and fathers of multiple children.

The new research is more rigorous than most. It is based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 40 heterosexual first-time fathers, half of whom were based in Spain and half of whom were based in the United States.

The expectant fathers in Spain participated in brain scans before their partners' pregnancies, and then again a few months after birth.

The expectant fathers in the US, on the other hand, participated during the mid-to-late stages of their partners' pregnancy, and then again seven to eight months postpartum.

The new research also included a control group of seventeen men without children based in Spain.

Gathering together all their data, the two laboratories compared the volume, thickness, and structural properties of the male brain in all three groups.

Compared to similar studies on new mothers, first-time fathers in the current study did not show changes in their limbic subcortical network. This makes sense as this part of the brain is associated with pregnancy hormones.

Still, just because fathers aren't carrying their offspring as they grow and develop, it doesn't mean their brains aren't impacted by parenthood. Recent studies, for instance, have shown that men can be just as impacted by postpartum depression, although it's rarely recognized as a problem.

Part of the issue may be that brain plasticity among new fathers is less pronounced than it is in new mothers. But thankfully, brain imaging technology can help experts see even subtle neurological changes.

In the current study, first-time fathers in both Spain and in California did not show changes in their subcortex, which is associated with reward and motivation.

They did, however, show signs of brain plasticity in their cortical gray matter, which is largely involved in social understanding – and the researchers also found pronounced reductions in the visual system's volume.

More research on this visual brain region and its role in parenthood is needed, but the findings do align with a recent study in 2020 that found fathers are better at visual memory tasks than those men without children.

"These findings may suggest a unique role of the visual system in helping fathers to recognize their infants and respond accordingly, a hypothesis to be confirmed by future studies," the authors of the new paper write.

"Understanding how the structural changes associated with fatherhood translate into parenting and child outcomes is a largely unexplored topic, providing exciting avenues for future research."

The study was published in the Cerebral Cortex.

- ◆ -

注：中文文本为机器翻译仅供参考，并非一一对应

含注释全文：

First-Time Dads May Experience Brain Shrinkage, Scientists Find

From: Science Alert

Becoming a new parent is an adjustment for both men and women.

初为人父母，无论男女，都是一种调整。

A dozen or so previous studies have shown that motherhood can change the structure of a person's brain, and yet fatherhood is comparatively overlooked.

以前的十几项研究表明，成为母亲会改变一个人的大脑结构，然而成为父亲（的影响）却相对被忽视了。

comparatively /kəmˈpær.ə.tɪv.li/ 表示“相对地，比较而言”，英文解释为“as compared to something else”举个🌰：

We couldn't afford it and yet we're comparatively well off (= we are richer than most people).

我们买不起，不过我们还算比较富裕的。

Now, new international research has identified neurological changes amongst first-time fathers as well.

现在，新的国际研究也发现了初为人父者也会发现神经系统的变化。

The study is only small, but it suggests that the neural substrates of parenthood are not exclusive to mothers. Men, as it turns out, can also be impacted by their new role as a parent, albeit in a less pronounced and uniform way.

这项研究规模不大，但它表明为人父母的神经基质并不是母亲独有的。事实证明，男性也会受到他们作为父母的新角色的影响，尽管影响不那么明显和一致。

substrate /ˈsʌb.streɪt/ 表示“基质，培养基”，英文解释为“a substance or surface that an organism grows and lives on and is supported by”

这个房间是专供客人使用的。

On average, the researchers found new fathers lost a percentage or two of cortical volume following the birth of their first child.

研究人员发现，平均而言，随着第一个孩子的出生，新手爸爸大脑皮层的体积会损失1%或者2%。

This shrinkage was mainly confined to an area of the brain known as the 'default mode network', which is associated with parental acceptance and warmth.

这种萎缩主要局限于大脑中被称为“默认模式网络”的区域，该区域与父母身份认同和情感关爱有关。

At first, a loss in cortical volume might sound like a bad thing, but it can actually indicate a refinement of the brain that makes connecting with a child more powerful and efficient.

起初，皮质容积的减少听起来像是件坏事，但它实际上表明大脑结构的改善，可以让父亲与孩子的联系更加有力和有效。

refinement /rɪˈfaɪn.mənt/ 表示“（精细的）改进，完善”，英文解释为“a small change that improves something”举个🌰：

These refinements have increased the machine's accuracy by 50 percent.

经过这些改进，机器的准确率提高了50%。

Similar cortical losses in mothers, for example, are associated with greater neural responses to a child and stronger child-parent attachment.

例如，母亲的类似皮质损失与对孩子更显著的神经应答和更强的亲子依恋有关。

Previous studies have shown that there are subtle neurological changes in the male brain following the birth of a child, but the little evidence that has been collected has proved mixed and conflicting.

Some studies show increases in gray matter following the birth of a child, while others show losses. Different regions of the brain have also been implicated, and few methods have differentiated between childless men, first-time fathers, and fathers of multiple children.

一些研究表明，孩子出生后灰质增加，而另一些研究表明灰质减少。大脑的不同区域也受到牵连，而且很少有方法能区分无子女男性、第一次做父亲和多个孩子的父亲（的影响）。

美式 gray matter 英式grey matter /ˈɡreɪ ˌmæt.ər/ 表示“（大脑和脊髓中的）灰质”，英文解释为“the darker tissue containing nerve fibres (= structures like threads) found in the brain and spinal cord”

The new research is more rigorous than most. It is based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 40 heterosexual first-time fathers, half of whom were based in Spain and half of whom were based in the United States.

这项新研究比大多数研究都更加严谨。它基于40名异性恋初为人父者的磁共振成像（MRI）数据，其中一半在西班牙，一半在美国。

2）表示“严格的，严厉的”，英文解释为“controlling behaviour in a severe way”如：the rigorous controls governing the sale of shares 对管理股权出售进行的严格控制。

Magnetic Resonance Imaging，表示“磁共振成像；核磁共振成像”，英文解释为“a method of using a strong magnetic field to produce an image of the inside of a person's body”

The expectant fathers in Spain participated in brain scans before their partners' pregnancies, and then again a few months after birth.

西班牙的准爸爸在伴侣怀孕前参加了脑部扫描，然后在孩子出生后几个月又参加了一次。

expectant /ɪkˈspek.tənt/ 表示“怀孕的；将要成为父母的”，英文解释为“used to refer to a woman who is pregnant or a man whose partner is pregnant”如：expectant mothers/fathers/couples 准妈妈/爸爸/父母。

The expectant fathers in the US, on the other hand, participated during the mid-to-late stages of their partners' pregnancy, and then again seven to eight months postpartum.

另一方面，美国的准爸爸在伴侣怀孕的中后期参与，然后在产后7到8个月再参与。

postpartum /ˌpəʊstˈpɑː.təm/ 表示“产后的”，英文解释为“after giving birth”如：postpartum depression 产后抑郁症。

The new research also included a control group of seventeen men without children based in Spain.

新的研究还包括一个由17名西班牙无子女男性组成的对照组。

Gathering together all their data, the two laboratories compared the volume, thickness, and structural properties of the male brain in all three groups.

两个实验室收集了所有的数据，比较了所有三组男性大脑的体积、厚度和结构特性。

Compared to similar studies on new mothers, first-time fathers in the current study did not show changes in their limbic subcortical network. This makes sense as this part of the brain is associated with pregnancy hormones.

与对新妈妈的类似研究相比，目前研究中的初为人父者并没有显示出他们大脑边缘皮层下网络发生变化。这是有道理的，因为大脑的这一部分与孕激素有关。

limbic /ˈlɪm.bɪk/ 表示“边缘系统的”，英文解释为“forming part of, or relating to, the limbic system”如：the limbic area of the brain 大脑边缘区域。

📍the limbic system 表示“大脑边缘系统”，英文解释为“a system of nerves and other structures in the brain that controls many of our emotions ”

Still, just because fathers aren't carrying their offspring as they grow and develop, it doesn't mean their brains aren't impacted by parenthood. Recent studies, for instance, have shown that men can be just as impacted by postpartum depression, although it's rarely recognized as a problem.

Part of the issue may be that brain plasticity among new fathers is less pronounced than it is in new mothers. But thankfully, brain imaging technology can help experts see even subtle neurological changes.

部分问题可能是新爸爸的大脑可塑性不如新妈妈明显。但庆幸的是，大脑成像技术可以帮助专家看到即使是细微的神经变化。

plasticity /plæsˈtɪs.ə.ti/ 表示“可塑性”，英文解释为“the quality of being soft enough to be changed into a new shape”

In the current study, first-time fathers in both Spain and in California did not show changes in their subcortex, which is associated with reward and motivation.

在目前的研究中，西班牙和加利福尼亚的初为人父者没有表现出皮质下层的变化，皮质下层与奖励和动机有关。

They did, however, show signs of brain plasticity in their cortical gray matter, which is largely involved in social understanding – and the researchers also found pronounced reductions in the visual system's volume.

然而，他们皮质中的灰质确实显示出大脑可塑性的迹象，这在很大程度上与社会理解有关——研究人员还发现视觉系统的体积明显减少。

More research on this visual brain region and its role in parenthood is needed, but the findings do align with a recent study in 2020 that found fathers are better at visual memory tasks than those men without children.

"These findings may suggest a unique role of the visual system in helping fathers to recognize their infants and respond accordingly, a hypothesis to be confirmed by future studies," the authors of the new paper write.

新论文的作者写道：“这些发现可能表明视觉系统在帮助父亲认识幼儿并做出相应的回应方面发挥了独特的作用，这一假设有待未来的研究证实。”

"Understanding how the structural changes associated with fatherhood translate into parenting and child outcomes is a largely unexplored topic, providing exciting avenues for future research."

“理解与父亲身份相关的结构变化如何转化为育儿成果是一个基本上未被探索的话题，为未来的研究提供了令人振奋的途径。”

The study was published in the Cerebral Cortex.

这项研究发表在《大脑皮层》期刊上。

- 今日盘点 -

comparatively

identify

neurological

neural

substrate

exclusive

albeit

pronounced

cortical

volume

shrinkage

be confined to

refinement

conflicting

gray matter

implicate

rigorous

MRI

heterosexual

expectant

postpartum

limbic

hormone

offspring

plasticity

align

hypothesis

cerebral

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