Maternal brain plasticity, physiology and exercise science: A scoping narrative review

IF 6.5 1区医学 Q1 ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM

Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology Pub Date : 2025-02-18 DOI:10.1016/j.yfrne.2025.101185

Catherine M.E. Barrett , Zohreh Zeidy , Alison Farrell , Lindsay S. Cahill , Katie P. Wadden

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

The perinatal period is characterized by extreme shifts in hormones, neurochemistry, and life experiences that drive significant changes in the brain, known as maternal plasticity. Due to rising maternal health conditions, such as postpartum depression, there is a critical need to investigate factors, such as engagement in physical activity and exercise, that may mitigate susceptibility to maladaptive maternal plasticity. This scoping review aims to analyze exercise interventions and maternal brain outcomes during reproduction.

Methods

A systematic search was completed in Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SportDiscuss. The key concepts of the search were (i) brain plasticity, (ii) maternal reproductive period including pre-conception, pregnancy, and postpartum, and (iii) exercise interventions. Due to the limited amount of evidence available on this topic, the review findings were discussed using a combined scoping and narrative review approach.

Results

The search produced 2,167 unique articles after removing 2588 duplicates. Covidence software was used for the screening procedure. Following title and abstract screening, 2160 articles were deemed irrelevant and removed. Seven articles moved forward to full-text screening. One article was excluded during full-text screening for wrong outcomes, leaving six papers for extraction. Extraction revealed that four out of six studies were conducted in the rodent alone, one was conducted in humans alone and one was conducted in both a human and a rodent model.

Discussion

The methodological inconsistencies in the limited number of studies within this field highlight the need for standardization, which motivated the development of the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template for animal research. Moreover, the present review highlights future directions and knowledge gaps, emphasizing the critical need for high-quality research to address the many unanswered questions regarding the impact of exercise on the maternal brain.

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来源期刊

Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology 医学-内分泌学与代谢

CiteScore

13.30

自引率

6.80%

发文量

审稿时长

68 days

期刊介绍： Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology (FIN) publishes a wide range of informative articles including comprehensive reviews, systematic reviews, opinion pieces, and meta-analyses. While the majority of reviews are invited, we also embrace unsolicited reviews and meta-analyses, as well as proposals for thematic special issues, provided they meet our rigorous quality standards. In addition, we encourage authors to submit commentaries that concisely present fresh ideas or offer further analysis to delve deeper into the implications of an article published in our journal.