Dad brains: How fatherhood rewires the male mind
5 hours ago
- #Parental Brain
- #Fatherhood
- #Hormonal Changes
- Men undergo hormonal changes before and after fatherhood, including drops in testosterone, which prepare them for caregiving and increase involvement with their child.
- Oxytocin, known as the love hormone, rises in fathers during interaction with their children, enhancing paternal instincts and creating a positive feedback loop.
- Fathers experience neurological changes in the brain, similar to adolescence, adapting to new parenting challenges, with more involvement leading to greater brain rewiring.
- Research shows that paternal involvement benefits the mental health of mothers and the physical health of children, such as improved heart health.
- Policy changes, like improved parental leave, can support fathers in building strong connections with their children from pregnancy onward.