{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Startup Dad","title":"The Science of 'Dad Brain' | Darby Saxbe (Mom of 2, USC Professor & Researcher)","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3632,"description":"Darby Saxbe is a professor at USC and holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her research includes studying the effects of stress hormones in couples and most importantly the changes that the male brain undergoes after becoming a parent. She has scientifically discovered slight gray matter loss in men following fatherhood and termed it Dad Brain. She is currently writing a book about her research. She’s also a wife, musician in a Mom Band and mother of two kids! In our conversation today we discussed:* Early influences on her scientific research* What it was like having two kids while getting your post doc* The neuroplasticity of the brain* Stress hormones in couples* How fatherhood reshapes men’s brains to make them more efficient* Changes in the ‘default mode network’ and the visual network in new Dads* How brain changes are different in new Dads vs. new Moms* The implications of her research for public policy, paid family leave and the support for new parents—Where to find Darby Saxbe* Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darbysaxbe/* X: https://twitter.com/Darbysaxbe* USC: https://dornsife.usc.edu/nestlab/Where to find Adam Fishman* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/—In this episode, we cover:[1:52] Welcome[2:25] Professional background[5:18] What was the spark for the research?[8:26] Did having children during postdoc help shape research?[10:08] Cortisol[13:57] Dad brain[25:55] Should we worry about brain shrinkage after becoming a parent?[29:55] Brain efficiency in parenting[31:33] Default mode and visual network for Dads[35:43] Enhancement in social cognition[38:06] Indifference[40:35] Parental leave[44:48] Darby’s book/ future research[48:35] Advice to new parents/dads[51:10] Follow along[52:05] Darby’s Mom band[54:55] Rapid fire—Show references:Darby’s Research: https://dornsife.usc.edu/nestlab/publications/Prenatal prolactin predicts...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/F_yCls74GdKLzmfCUXKoHwqOZKN_mFb5zL7jtAWlzzU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wYjMx/Yzg1NmIzMjBiZmE4/ZGFiM2ZjMjQ2Yjcy/OTY2OS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}