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 postnatal parenting attitudes and brain structure remodeling in first-time fathers: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453023003104 Darby on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=q676bXMAAAAJ Dad Brain is Real: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/16/opinion/dad-brain-fatherhood-parenting.html?unlocked_article_code=1.0E0.biCq.04uwT7G2QN-x&smid=url-share More on Dad Brain: https://theconversation.com/brain-study-identifies-a-cost-of-caregiving-for-new-fathers-227319 Cortical volume reductions in men transitioning to first-time fatherhood: https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article-abstract/34/4/bhae126/7645338?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false USC: https://www.usc.edu/ Fulbright: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/ UK Biobank: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/ Scrooge McDuck: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrooge_McDuck Super Why: https://pbskids.org/superwhy/ Inside Out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/ Inside Out 2: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22022452/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Beetlejuice: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094721/ Throwing Muses: https://throwingmuses.com/ The Killers: https://www.thekillersmusic.com/ Breeders: https://www.thebreedersmusic.com/ Seven Up!: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058578/ Rushmore: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128445/ A Hard Day’s Night: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058182/ — For sponsorship inquiries email: [email protected]. For Startup Dad Merch: www.startupdadshop.com  Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit startupdadpod.substack.com