MOTHERHOOD BOOSTS BRAINPOWER
Being a mother changes your shape and your sleep habits, but it may
also bestow a big health benefit. A recent study from the University
of Richmond found that mothers are smarter and less vulnerable to
Alzheimer's disease, thanks to protective reproductive hormones that
flood the brain during pregnancy. Researchers found that rats that
had raised two or more litters did significantly better in memory and
skill tests than rats that had no offspring. Moreover, rats with the
most pregnancies had lower levels of a protein called amyloid
precursor protein, which is linked with the development of
Alzheimer's in humans. Although the study involved rats, the authors
believe that the findings apply to humans as well. The reproductive
hormone estrogen, for instance, is known to protect the brain.
Source: "Motherhood Makes Women Smarter, Study Suggests" [
www.reutershealth.com ], Reuters Health, November 7, 2002