Becoming a parent could offer much more than an enriched life: protection against some effects of brain aging. A recent study, conducted with 37,000 adults, reveals that parents exhibit enhanced brain connections, particularly in networks related to movement, sensory perception, and social interactions.
This research, published in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that parenting, and not just pregnancy, plays a key role in these changes. The effects are cumulative: the more children parents have, the more pronounced the brain modifications. These findings challenge the idea that parenting is solely a source of stress, highlighting its potential benefits for cognitive health.
Parenting and brain connections: a protective effect
The study, conducted using data from the UK Biobank, analyzed brain scans of nearly 37,000 adults. The researchers focused on brain networks involved in movement, sensation, and social interactions. They discovered that these networks, which typically show a decline in connectivity with age, are instead strengthened in parents.
This increase in functional connectivity is particularly marked in areas related to motor skills and sensory perception. The researchers explain that these changes could result from the constant physical and cognitive stimulation involved in raising children. For example, repetitive activities like carrying a child or playing with them heavily engage these brain networks.
Furthermore, parents show increased connectivity in regions associated with social interactions. These areas, often affected by aging, seem to benefit from the frequent and varied exchanges that family life entails. The researchers emphasize that these results suggest a strong link between what is called the "caregiving environment" (system of behaviors between parents and children), and the preservation of brain health.
A cumulative and universal impact
The study reveals that the positive effects of parenting on the brain are proportional to the number of children. The more children parents have, the more brain connectivity in networks related to movement and sensation is strengthened. This observation suggests that each additional child contributes to preserving the brain's youth, countering the natural effects of aging.
Notably, these benefits apply to both mothers and fathers. This indicates that the caregiving environment, and not just the biological changes related to pregnancy, plays a key role. Fathers, although they do not experience the physical transformations of motherhood, show similar brain modifications, highlighting the importance of their involvement in child-rearing.
The parents in the study also demonstrated an increased level of social connections, with more frequent family visits and expanded social networks. These interactions could contribute to strengthening the brain networks associated with social cognition. However, the researchers remain cautious: since the participants were predominantly British, these results might not apply to all cultures or family structures.
To go further: How does parenting stimulate the brain?
Raising children involves regular physical activity, such as carrying a baby, playing, or chasing a toddler. These actions heavily engage brain networks related to movement and sensation, helping to maintain their connectivity. This physical stimulation could partly explain the benefits observed in parents.
The intense and varied social interactions that parenting entails also play a key role. Exchanges with children, as well as with other parents or family members, activate brain areas associated with social cognition. These interactions could help preserve these networks, often affected by aging.
Parenting also requires constant cognitive stimulation. Managing children's needs, solving daily problems, or planning activities engages executive functions and brain areas related to memory and decision-making. These mental exercises could contribute to maintaining robust brain connectivity, even at an advanced age.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND