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The Neurobiological Toll of Early Human Deprivation

Charles A Nelson, Karen Bos, Megan R Gunnar

    Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development
    |July 15, 2014
    PubMed

    Insights

    Early institutionalization in children can lead to behavioral and cognitive issues, such as attention deficits and attachment disorders. The severity of these problems is linked to the age children enter and leave institutional care.

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Developmental Psychology
    • Child Psychiatry

    Background:

    • Institutionalized children often exhibit significant behavioral, emotional, and neuropsychological deficits.
    • These sequelae can include attention deficits, impaired executive functions, attachment disorders, and autism-like symptoms.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To review the neurobiological literature explaining the psychological and neurological consequences of early institutionalization.
    • To explore the relationship between the age of institutional entry/exit and the severity of developmental sequelae.

    Main Methods:

    • Literature review of neurobiological studies on early institutionalization.
    • Synthesis of findings on the impact of institutional care on child development.

    Main Results:

    • Early institutionalization is associated with a range of neurodevelopmental impairments.
    • The timing of entry into and exit from institutional care influences the extent and severity of these deficits.

    Conclusions:

    • Neurobiological factors underpin the observed psychological and neurological sequelae in institutionalized children.
    • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for addressing the long-term developmental impact of institutional care.

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