Pregnant women aged 18-40 needed for world-first neuroscience study
About our research
Did you know that less than 1% of all neuroimaging studies focus on women and women’s health? Our research team is on a mission to understand how pregnancy might impact areas of the brain responsible for sensory perception and sense of self.
Pregnancy is a time of profound physiological change, where the body rapidly adapts to accommodate a growing foetus. It is also a personally transformative time, where knowledge and skills are developed to adapt to a new identity as a parent. Evidence is emerging that pregnancy is a time of neuroplasticity, but what that means in practice remains unknown, as most neuroscience research focuses on the baby. This study uses MRI, cognitive and sensory testing to understand how neuroplastic changes might impact sense of self.
This research could lead to breakthroughs in healthcare tailored to women's unique physiological experiences, impacting future care standards for pregnancy and beyond.
What's involved?
Participants will:
- Complete an online consent form and survey (about 30 mins) in the week before your session booking. You will be asked general demographic information, health-related history and questions relating to sense of self
- Attend an in-person testing session at our lab at Monash University where you will complete:
- some cognitive assessments on a computer and on paper
- a finger-prick blood test
- a sensory discrimination task on your abdomen and forearm (Clayton campus)
- a 1 hour MRI brain scan session which will include a 20 minute sensory discrimination task on your abdomen and forearm
Who Can Participate?
We are recruiting pregnant women aged 18-40 who are right handed and experiencing a low risk pregnancy. Participants must be in their third trimester by June 2025. To take part, you must also:
- be able to attend a 3-4 hour data collection session at Monash Biomedical Imaging (Clayton)
- be right-handed
- have normal or corrected-to-normal vision and not experience colour blindness
- not have taken psychiatric medication for more than 3 months in the last five years i.e. anti-depressants, mood stabilisers, stimulant medication
- have no history of significant brain injury, seizures, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, or any other serious neurological conditions
- have no history of diabetes, hypertension, chronic pain or conditions that affect sensory processing (this includes autism and ADHD)
- be suitable for MRI and comfortable lying in an enclosed space for up to 20 minutes at a time (we will provide pillows and bolsters for your comfort).
Why Participate?
- You will be contributing valuable information that may help improve standards of care for women across the lifespan
- You will be helping to advance neuroscientific research and improve our understanding of how women's brains adapt to pregnancy and parenthood
- You will be compensated with a $100 gift voucher
How can I apply?
Please click the 'Apply' button below to express your interest in this study.
When applying, please let us know days and times suitable for us to contact you for a 15 minute screening call and provide an Australian phone number. During this call we will confirm your eligibility, answer your questions and arrange a time for you to come into Monash Biomedical Imaging
This project has been reviewed and approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (Project ID:13420)