Abstract
During the postpartum period, the paternal brain suffers extensive and complex neurobiological alterations, through the experience of father–infant interactions. Although the impact of such experience in the mother has been increasingly studied over the past years, less is known about the neurobiological correlates of fatherhood—that is, the alterations in the brain and other physiological systems associated with the experience of fatherhood. With the present study, we aimed to perform a scoping review of the available literature on the genetic, neuroendocrine, and brain correlates of fatherhood and identify the main gaps in the current knowledge. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases were searched for eligible studies on paternal neuroplasticity during the postpartum period, over the past 15 years. Reference lists of relevant key studies and reviews were also hand-searched. The research team independently screened the identified studies based on the established inclusion criteria. Extracted data were analyzed using tables and descriptive synthesis. Among the 29 studies that met our inclusion criteria, the vast majority pertained to neuroendocrine correlates of fatherhood (n = 19), followed by brain activity or connectivity (n = 7), association studies of candidate genes (n = 2), and brain structure correlates (n = 1). Collectively, studies published during the past 15 years suggest the existence of significant endocrine (testosterone, oxytocin, prolactin, and cortisol levels) and neurofunctional alterations (changed activity in several brain networks related to empathy and approach motivation, emotional processing and mentalizing, emotion regulation, dorsal attention, and default mode networks) as a result of fatherhood, as well as preliminary evidence of genetic variability accounting for individual differences during the postpartum period in fathers. No studies were so far published evaluating epigenetic mechanisms associated with the paternal brain, something that was also the focus of the current review. We highlight the need for further research that examines neuroplasticity during the experience of fatherhood and that considers both the interplay between hormones and simultaneous assessment of the different biomarkers (e.g., associations between hormones and neural activity); data collection protocols and assessment times should also be refined.
Highlights
The transition to parenthood represents a transformative period, marked by diverse co-occurring biological, psychological, social, economic, and behavioral changes
We identified 29 primary studies published between 2005 and 2020 addressing neurobiological correlates of fatherhood
19 studies were retrieved for neuroendocrine biomarkers, two for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of candidate genes, one for structural neuroimaging, and seven for brain activity or functional connectivity
Summary
The transition to parenthood represents a transformative period, marked by diverse co-occurring biological, psychological, social, economic, and behavioral changes (e.g., decreasing levels of testosterone, increasing levels of oxytocin, changes in thoughts and behaviors oriented toward the infant; Bakermans-Kranenburg et al, 2019). These changes seem to facilitate experiencedependent acquisitions of parenting skills, aimed at caring for the infant and securing survival (Swain et al, 2014). Fathers undergo significant neuroendocrine alterations during the transition to parenthood that have been found to be associated with greater involvement in caregiving (e.g., longitudinal decreases in testosterone; Gettler et al, 2011)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.