Fatherhood changes men’s brains, according to before-and-after MRI scans

Neuroscientists know that pregnant mothers’ brains change in ways that appear to help with caring for a baby. Now researchers have identified changes in new fathers’ brains, too.

By: Darby Saxbe, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Magdalena Martínez García, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón IiSGM , The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 14, 2026

Words: 1,232

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

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By Darby Saxbe, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Magdalena Martínez García, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón IiSGM

The time fathers devote to child care every week has tripled over the past 50 years in the United States. The increase in fathers’ involvement in child rearing is even steeper in countries that have expanded paid paternity leave or created incentives for fathers to take leave, such as Germany,

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