Mommy Brain How Motherhood Makes Us Smarter

1. Perception. A mother's sensory-rich life with her newborn actually remaps part of her brain--improving her ability to interpret new information. 2. Efficiency. Pregnancy and early motherhood enrich the brain, improving memory and setting a mother up for a lifetime of multitasking. 3. Resilience. Oxytocin, a powerful hormone abundant in mothers, so effectively combats stress, clearing the way for improved learning, that scientists are studying its, potential as an anti-depressant and even as a therapy for Alzheimer's. 4. Motivation. The fierce biological urge to defend their children, bolstered by mind-altering hormones, helps mothers become more creative and competitive. 5. Emotional Intelligence. Mothers get basic training in this important kind of smarts as they tone their brain's "empathy muscles" by instinctively imitating their babies' facial expressions.Ellison, Katherine is the author of 'Mommy Brain How Motherhood Makes Us Smarter', published 2006 under ISBN 9780465019069 and ISBN 0465019064.