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Early adversity, neural development, and inflammation.

Jessica J Chiang¹, Shelley E Taylor², Julienne E Bower^2,3

¹Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA. jchiang18@ucla.edu.

Developmental Psychobiology

|September 16, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Early adversity impacts physical health by altering neural development, leading to inflammation. This review explores how brain changes link early life stress to chronic inflammation and poorer physical health outcomes.

Keywords:

amygdala autonomic nervous system early adversity hippocampus hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis inflammation prefrontal cortex

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Immunology

Background:

Early life adversity is a known risk factor for adverse mental and physical health outcomes.
Altered neural development is a recognized pathway to psychopathology but less explored for physical health.
The central nervous system, through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS), interacts with the immune system.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the evidence linking early adversity to altered neural development.
To explore the pathway through which altered neural development may increase inflammation.
To discuss how this pathway contributes to physical health risks.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on early adversity, neural development, HPA axis, ANS, inflammation, and physical health.
Synthesis of findings to establish a conceptual link between these factors.

Main Results:

Early adversity is associated with changes in key brain regions (amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex).
Dysregulation of the HPA axis and ANS is frequently observed following early adversity.
Elevated inflammation levels are linked to both early adversity and altered neural development.

Conclusions:

Altered neural development represents a viable pathway connecting early adversity to increased inflammation.
This neuro-immune pathway may explain how early life stress elevates the risk for chronic physical health conditions.
Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the mechanisms and clinical implications.