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Neural Plasticity in Human Fathers

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Handbook of Fathers and Child Development

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Abstract

Both new mothers and fathers undergo neural changes that support positive adaptation to parenting and the development of parent-infant relationships. In this chapter, we review important psychological adaptations that fathers and mothers experience during the transition to parenthood. We then review evidence of structural and functional plasticity in human fathers’ and mothers’ brains and explore how such plasticity supports their psychological adaptation to parenting and parenting behaviors. Finally, we discuss similar and different vulnerabilities and opportunities for the transition to parenthood in the brains of fathers and mothers and how they may inform interventions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Leah Grande, Rebekah Tribble & Pilyoung Kim

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  1. Leah Grande
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  2. Rebekah Tribble
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  3. Pilyoung Kim
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Correspondence to Pilyoung Kim .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Hiram E. Fitzgerald

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany

    Kai von Klitzing

  3. University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Natasha J. Cabrera

  4. Graduate Program in Educational Psychology, Centro Universitário FIEO, Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil

    Júlia Scarano de Mendonça

  5. Division of Mental Health, Akershus University Hospital HF, Lørenskog, Norway

    Thomas Skjøthaug

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Grande, L., Tribble, R., Kim, P. (2020). Neural Plasticity in Human Fathers. In: Fitzgerald, H.E., von Klitzing, K., Cabrera, N.J., Scarano de Mendonça, J., Skjøthaug, T. (eds) Handbook of Fathers and Child Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51027-5_11

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