Evolutionary biology of women
Molly Fox, an associate professor in the department of anthropology at 芭乐视频, has pioneered research into the biological relationships between grandmothers, mothers聽and children.
During her training, Fox became fascinated by聽why women live so long after menopause聽and the theory that grandmothers enhance the survival and reproductive success of their descendants. From this foundation, she built a research program that focuses on the adaptations that support cooperative care in human families. She investigates multigenerational caregiving and the evolutionary dynamics of women鈥檚 health issues.聽
Fox led a study exploring how pregnancy and breastfeeding are associated with聽cognitive function in postmenopausal women.聽She and her team at the 芭乐视频 Biological Anthropology of Motherhood Lab found that greater cumulative time spent pregnant and breastfeeding was associated with less decline in cognition later in life. Understanding the biological processes behind these observations may help scientists develop preventive strategies for cognitive aging.
Fox was also the lead author of a study on the biological underpinnings of聽morning sickness.聽Fox and her colleagues analyzed blood samples and questionnaire data from 58 Latina women in Southern California, following them from early pregnancy through the postpartum period. They found evidence that morning sickness symptoms may be part of an important immunological process that balances the protection of the fetus and mother. This may help combat stigma around morning sickness and encourage workplace accommodations for pregnant women.
Fox and her colleagues found that infants鈥� contact with caregivers was associated with greater diversity in the gut microbiome during the first 6 months of life. In related work, Fox and her team observed that pregnant women exhibited better mental health when they had more contact and better relationships with their own mothers and siblings.聽Her work raises the possibility that modern disruptions of interdependent family structures may contribute to health problems, including perinatal mood disorders.聽
Previously, Fox and her team discovered a correlation between accelerated adrenal puberty in firstborn daughters and high levels of prenatal stress in their mothers. Understanding how development may adaptively respond to stress contributes to our knowledge of the emotional and environmental factors that shape women鈥檚 lived experiences.聽
Fox鈥檚 work expands our understanding of cognitive aging, chronic disease risk聽and the evolutionary logic of the human family. Federal funding makes this research possible, allowing her to collect biological samples and conduct interviews, as well as to analyze datasets 鈥斅爓ork that is essential for answering questions about how evolution shapes human health and well-being.聽