Using brain-wide transcriptomics in mice, we found that pregnancy and postpartum drive robust lasting changes in the dorsal hippocampus, which were associated with improved maternal and cognitive behaviors (effects previously shown by @liisagalea.bsky.social, and others)
Maze lab at #standupforscience NYC! cut gels not funding!! 🧬
Yes! H3 dopaminylation was altered in the maternal brain of mice and humans. In mice, this was disrupted by postpartum stress. Mimicking these changes in virgin females reproduced maternal brain adaptations, and blocking dopaminylation rescued the effects of postpartum stress.
Chronic postpartum stress disrupted these adaptations. We then found changes in hippocampal dopamine. The Maze lab previously discovered H3 dopaminylation, which uses dopamine as a histone mark. Could this be the epigenetic mechanism underlying such lasting effects?
Jennifer O’Chan
This work couldn't have been done without the entire Maze lab and our collaborators! As someone who became a first time mom during this project, I have a personal appreciation for why a good postpartum support system matters.
Thrilled to share my main postdoctoral work out @nature.com ! This project tackles a fundamental question: how do pregnancy and postpartum experiences promote lifelong changes to the brain? www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Jennifer O’Chan
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, led by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) - a gastroenterologist with an MD from LSU, just released a report entitled NIH IN THE 21st CENTURY: ENSURING TRANSPARENCY AND AMERICAN BIOMEDICAL LEADERSHIP. Since he is the ranking Republican,
1/n
Jennifer O’Chan
Bummer that @zachtpennington.bsky.social is missing #ACNP2024 due to stomach flu. But be sure to check out his discovery about how the anterior hypothalamus codes stress 👇
This is one of the most important, surprising, and exciting findings I've been a part of!
Jennifer O’Chan
Got to listen to this session with some pretty fantastic scientists too!
Cc @kundakoviclab.bsky.social @themorrisonlab.bsky.social Jennifer Chan @ashleyonthebrain.bsky.social @ornaissler.bsky.social
Brain-wide transcriptomic profiling in mice reveals that reproductive experience remodels the maternal brain by altering dopamine dynamics in the dorsal hippocampal formation, causing dopamine-depende...
