Dad Brain Changes Everything
New research might be showing up in an old documentary
For this four-minute read you might want to set aside an hour-and-a-half.
(It’s accompanied by a full-length movie.)
Science is learning more and more about how fathers contribute mightily to good parenting. And now there is preliminary scientific evidence that fathers’ brains go through an optimization process, including actual structural changes, that equip dads for their important new role as fathers. It’s called Dad Brain.
What is Dad Brain?
Research out of the University of Southern California with collaborators in Spain in 2022 demonstrates that when men become fathers, the physical structure, and thus the function, of their brains actually changes to accommodate and prioritize the new requirements of parenting.
Dr. Darby Saxbe, the senior researcher on the study, elucidates the findings and their possible implications in a Guest Essay in the New York Times.
Ironically, according to Dr. Saxbe’s essay, some of the changes involve shrinkage of various regions of fathers’ brains. But brain researchers understand this process as “pruning,” much like removing sub-optimal or overabundant types of twigs, buds and branches from a tree can boost its overall health and fruitfulness.
The study also notes general differences in the ways mothers’ and fathers’ brains process the role of parenting and “provides preliminary evidence that these distinct neural pathways to maternal and paternal care in humans might be reflected in brain structure.”
Perhaps most importantly, Saxbe writes, the study “advances knowledge about structural neuroplasticity related to the paternal experience” and future research along these lines will help us “gain a better understanding of how a father successfully adapts to parenting, which has a direct impact on public policies that support father involvement.”
(My personal hope about impacting public policies is that future research will forever banish the notion held in some judicial, legislative, academic and social services circles today that fathers are not, can not be and never will be “wired” for parenting.)
The Other F Word
We can’t say for sure that this 2011 documentary depicts the technical definition of Dad Brain, but it clearly captures amazing and heartwarming changes that occurred among former hardcore, nihilistic Punk Rockers when they became fathers.
View The Other F Word Trailer
After watching the trailer and then the whole documentary, I was happy to have seen fatherhood — and perhaps specifically Dad Brain — portrayed so lovingly in the Punk Rock milieu. I wrote to Andrea Nevins, the writer, director and co-producer, to express my appreciation.
Andrea has granted me the okay to post her film here on Substack, without charge and without advertisements, for six weeks. Until June 30, you will find the whole film embedded below.
I have no financial interest whatsoever in The Other F Word, but I love it wholeheartedly and would bet that the film would be a big hit at every fatherhood conference, every parenting conference, every Dad 2.0 convention, and at academic conferences in Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Psychology, Sociology and Social Work. Public Policy wonks should watch it, too.
In case you are involved in organizing and programming any such confab, or in case you know someone who is, licensing details and contacts follow.
The Other F Word, complete.
July 1, 2025: The ad-free full-length version The Other F Word is no longer available here, in accordance with the kind permissions of Andrea Nevins, the Producer/Director.
It can now be viewed with ads on DailyMotion:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8rlfej
Licensing Details and Contacts
Purchase of a Public Performance Rights permit for screening in a classroom or library or to a public group of less than 50 people when no admission is charged. You will receive a DVD copy of The Other F Word. Cost: $300.
If you plan to charge for admission or if the group is more than 50 people, please contact ppr@oscilloscope.net to arrange a commercial film booking.
To inquire about streaming rights please contact ppr@oscilloscope.net.