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Childhood Adversity and Neural Development: A Systematic Review
Katie A McLaughlin1, David Weissman1, Debbie Bitrán2
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
Annual Review of Developmental Psychology
|May 27, 2020
Summary
Childhood adversity impacts brain development. Threat exposure alters amygdala and hippocampus, while deprivation affects frontoparietal regions, supporting the dimensional model of adversity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Extensive research links childhood adversity to neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Two models, the dimensional model and stress acceleration model, attempt to explain these links.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review studies evaluating the dimensional model and stress acceleration model.
- To examine MRI-based neural structure and function in children and adolescents exposed to different types of adversity.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 109 studies.
- Inclusion of studies using MRI-based measures of neural structure and function.
- Analysis of neurodevelopmental consequences of threat versus deprivation.
Main Results:
- Children exposed to threat showed reduced amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and hippocampal volume, with heightened amygdala activation.
- Children exposed to deprivation showed reduced volume and altered function in frontoparietal regions.
- Limited evidence supported accelerated development in amygdala-mPFC circuits.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the dimensional model of adversity, differentiating effects of threat and deprivation on neurodevelopment.
- Future research needs larger samples, longitudinal designs, and precise adversity assessments for clearer insights into neurodevelopmental consequences.
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