Amen Clinics Study Finds Postpartum Depression Has Distinct Brain Patterns
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Costa Mesa, Calif. – October 02, 2026 -- Nearly 40% of women with postpartum depression showed a hyperfrontal/anterior cingulate cortex brain-activity pattern, more than double the 19.4% rate found in patients with major depression, according to new research from Dr. Daniel Amen and colleagues at Amen Clinics.
Brain scan comparison covers 26,135 patients across two depression groups
Researchers analyzed brain SPECT imaging scans from 58 women diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD) and compared them against scans from 26,077 people with major depression. Each scan was classified into one of six brain-function categories: hyperfrontal/ACC, limbic, hypofrontal, toxic/diffuse low perfusion, brain trauma/acquired injury, or mixed patterns.