Altered maternal brain structural covariance networks in the postpartum period

Motivation: Structural covariance connectivity can elucidate the brain intrinsic structural connectivity patterns of postpartum women, providing new evidence for structural plasticity in postpartum women. Goal(s): Our goal is to explore structural network alteration patterns in postpartum women. Approach: Postpartum women were imaged using high-resolution T1-weighted 3-dimensional and compared with nonmothers by structural covariance network (SCN) analysis. Results: Brain structural remodeling does occur in the postpartum women, as evidenced by changes in intrinsic structural connectivity patterns. Impact: We used structural covariance network (SCN) analysis to demonstrate that brain structural placity in postpartum women during raising infants, providing new ideas and directions for studying the neural mechanisms of maternal behavior.