Stressful or traumatic experiences occurring in a child’s earliest years – birth to age 5 – have been linked to reduced hippocampal volume in adolescence, according to a new Vanderbilt University report published in Developmental Science.
“These findings tell us that there may be a ‘sensitive period’ in which stress is more likely to affect the development of the hippocampus, which is connected to learning, memory and mood,” said lead author Kathryn L. Humphreys, assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt.
“Given that the hippocampus undergoes rapid changes in the first years of life, the effects of stressful experiences during this period, even those the child doesn’t remember, may be particularly important in understanding the development of this region of the brain.”
In the study, 178 early adolescents underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging.
“This work underscores the plasticity and vulnerability of the brain in early life,”Humphreys said.
“Our findings have important clinical implications given that smaller hippocampal volume has been prospectively linked to a number of outcomes, including vulnerability to psychopathology following trauma, poorer antidepressant treatment response and memory deficits.”
More information: Kathryn L. Humphreys. Future Directions in the Study and Treatment of Parent–Child Separation, Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (2018). DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2018.1534209
Kathryn L. Humphreys et al. Evidence for a Sensitive Period in the Effects of Early Life Stress on Hippocampal Volume, Developmental Science (2018). DOI: 10.1111/desc.12775
Journal reference: Developmental Science search and more info website
Provided by: Vanderbilt University
