Columbia University in the City of New York

Nov 22, 20214:00 pm
Seminar

Beyond “Mommy Brain”: The Neuroscience of Maternal Instincts

This seminar will identify the role of neuroscience in understanding how one learns to be a mother - and how can these ideas and data be communicated constructively

November 22nd, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

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Despite motherhood and successful caregiving being essential for the survival of our species, surprisingly little has been known about how the human brain adjusts to this new phase of life until recently. The new science of pregnancy and parenting has revealed how this period in adulthood involves brain changes that shape adaptation to the challenges of parenthood, underlying parental instincts, attachment, behavior, and emotions - far from the negative connotations of “mommy brain” we are familiar with. Fundamental questions remain about to what extent maternal “instincts” are truly innate, or learned. What happens when these changes do not happen so readily? What is the role of neuroscience in understanding how one learns to be a mother - and how can these ideas and data be communicated constructively?

Event Speakers
Helena Rutherford, Assistant Professor, Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine
Pilyoung Kim, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Denver
Abigail Tucker, journalist and author
Moderated by Clare McCormack, Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience, Columbia University

Event Information
Free and open to the public; RSVP required via Eventbrite. Registered attendees will receive an event link shortly before the seminar begins. 

The Center for Science and Society makes every reasonable effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you require disability accommodations to attend a Center for Science and Society event, please contact us at [email protected] or (212) 853-1612 at least 10 days in advance of the event. For more information, please visit the campus accessibility webpage


This event is part of the Seminars in Society and Neuroscience series.

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