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This is your brain on fatherhood: How childrearing, not just pregnancy, changes bodies and minds

The cover of "Dad Brain" beside author Darby Saxbe. (Courtesy of Flatiron Book and Ketura Bishop)
Courtesy of Flatiron Book and Ketura Bishop
The cover of "Dad Brain" beside author Darby Saxbe. (Courtesy of Flatiron Book and Ketura Bishop)

Most dads will tell you that having children changed them forever. A growing body of evidence shows that’s true at a chemical level.

The brains of fathers look markedly different from men who’ve never raised kids. These changes are also present for other caregivers, regardless of their biological connection to a child.

Darby Saxbe is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Southern California. She spoke with host Peter O’Dowd and producer James Mastromarino about her new book, “Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How it Shapes Men’s Lives.”

Book excerpt: ‘Dad Brain’

By Darby Saxbe

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom