Adaptations of the Maternal Brain to Meet the Increased Energy Demands of Pregnancy and Lactation

In adult mammals, peripheral signals of energy balance act on central circuits to match energy intake with energy expenditure. The unique metabolic challenges of pregnancy and lactation, however, require alterations in this energy balance equation. In this chapter we describe the multiple behavioral and physiological changes in energy intake and expenditure that accompany pregnancy and lactation and enable the mother to meet the nutritional requirements of her young. We then discuss how secretion of metabolic hormones and neuropeptides modulating energy balance are changed in pregnancy and lactation as well as how alterations in sensitivity of the brain to metabolic hormones facilitates the increased food intake required of these reproductive states. Finally, the contribution of the distinct hormonal profiles of pregnancy and lactation to the maternal adaptations of the brain allowing for these changes in energy homeostasis systems is described.