It was very interesting and anyone can understand. (Attendee of the Webinar Introduction to Neuroscience from the Perspective of a Biochemist).

A very interesting topic indeed. as a psychology student, i would like to more attend such webinars because i was able to very much understand and think critically about the topic discussed mainly because the presenter was very knowledgeable and trying to deliver the material in the best way possible. thank you (Attendee of the Webinar Introduction to Neuroscience from the Perspective of a Biochemist).

The event was super interesting and informative (Attendee of the Webinar Introduction to Neuroscience from the Perspective of a Biochemist).

The neurobiological effects of childhood maltreatment: An often overlooked narrative related to the long-term effects of early childhood trauma?

Brief summary by Layal Boutari, BS in Biology - Lebanese American University

Mistreated children who are exposed to physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse, as well as those who have witnessed family violence or experienced neglect for a prolonged period of time, are shown to have their brain development adversely affected as a result.

It’s been shown that in cases of neglect during childhood, the lack of experience of stimuli for the provision of certain fundamental needs, such as playing, learning, protection, etc., provided by the parents leads to delayed myelination of axons, which results in loss of executive function of capacity and self-regulatory behaviors.

In addition, MRI studies have shown that exposing children to violence is linked to intracranial, cerebral, and prefrontal cortex volumes. Exposure to violence also affects prefrontal white matter, temporal lobe volumes, and the corpus callusom. These MRI studies have also shown that there is an increase in the volume of the prefrontal cerebro-spinal fluid which indicates loss of brain volume in these children. In male children, the degree of volume loss in the corpus callosum is more significant which can lead to future aggression and suicidality. These maltreated male children also show a significant volume loss in the superior temporal gyrus and hippocampus which leads to an attention deficit, a limited verbal response ability, and poor short-term memory. A decrease in the cerebellum’s volume is also noted which leads to poor concentration and difficulty in sleeping. Child sexual assault survivors also show a decrease in cerebellar volume.

However, not all maltreated children are impacted. This may be attributed to neuroplasticity, which occurs as a result of some synaptic pathways being enhanced rather than others due to the exposure to activities that stimulate specific sensory and motor pathways. This phenomenon is especially important in children under the age of 7, and is important to a lesser degree in teenage years. Therefore, neuroplasticity allows early remedial therapy provided to children to lessen the long-term effects of maltreatment on brain structure.

In conclusion, childhood mistreatment can have adverse long-term effects on the neurobiology of children; however, it can be combated through early intervention and therapy.

Click HERE to read the article