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Early deprivation and home basal cortisol levels: a study of internationally adopted children

Darlene A Kertes1, Megan R Gunnar, Nicole J Madsen

  • 1Institute of Child Development, 51 East River Road, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Development and Psychopathology
|April 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Early childhood deprivation in adopted children was linked to growth delays and altered cortisol patterns. These findings highlight the long-term impact of early adversity on stress system regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Human Biology

Background:

  • Early life stress and deprivation can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis.
  • Animal studies suggest long-term consequences of impaired HPA axis regulation, increasing stress vulnerability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of pre-adoption deprivation on basal HPA axis activity in humans.
  • To examine the relationship between early deprivation, growth, and cortisol levels in internationally adopted children.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 164 internationally adopted children with varying pre-adoption deprivation.
  • Assessed deprivation through institutional care duration, age at adoption, and neglect ratings (Deprived Care factor).
  • Measured growth (height, weight) and cortisol levels (morning and diurnal) years post-adoption.

Main Results:

  • Preadoption deprivation significantly predicted growth delays.
  • Growth delays were associated with higher morning cortisol levels.
  • Growth delays also predicted a larger decrease in cortisol throughout the day.

Conclusions:

  • Early deprivation, reflected in growth delays, impacts basal HPA axis activity in humans.
  • These findings suggest lasting effects of early adversity on the human stress response system.
  • Growth and cortisol patterns may serve as indicators of long-term HPA axis dysregulation due to early deprivation.

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