Early Life Adversity and Childhood Maltreatment

Early maltreatment in rhesus macaques reduced serotonin and dopamine receptor binding in key brain regions during adolescence, highlighting how adverse caregiving affects neural development and suggesting long-term impacts on mood regulation.

A recent study found a link between secure attachment and lower PTSD symptoms, while insecure attachment correlated with higher symptoms. These findings emphasize the potential importance of attachment styles in understanding responses to childhood trauma.

Infant negative emotionality is associated with childhood maltreatment at ages 5 and 9 and ADHD symptoms at 5. ADHD symptoms at 5 increase maltreatment risk at 9, while maltreatment at 9 correlates with more severe ADHD symptoms at the same...

A study has found that early-life family stressors, like harsh parenting and unsafe neighborhoods, are linked to smaller amygdala volumes and disrupted anterior cingulate cortex development, suggesting stress-related blunting rather than accelerated brain maturation.

Recent research found that childhood emotional abuse is linked to increased binge-watching tendencies in young adults, with vulnerable narcissism and emotion dysregulation acting as potential mediating factors influencing this behavior.

Children of parents with substance use disorders face a significantly higher risk of psychiatric diagnoses, with males at 80% and females at 56% increased risk.

Adverse childhood experiences can lead to adult symptoms of anxiety and depression, mediated by life history strategies, according to a study published in Biodemography & Social Biology.

Emotional distress and inflammation are more prominent in alcohol use disorder patients with a history of childhood stress, such as abuse or neglect, according to new research.

Adverse childhood experiences are linked to increased malevolent creativity in young adulthood. However, empathy and social support may reduce this tendency

Childhood adversity may have a lasting impact beyond early years, potentially influencing how young adults engage with short-form video platforms like TikTok, a new study suggests.

Children who experienced trauma had stronger fear responses to threats, which was linked to increased PTSD symptoms over time. Trauma, not deprivation, affected how they learned to respond to fear.

A new study has found that childhood maltreatment is linked to a preference for larger interpersonal distances globally, affecting both friendships and interactions with strangers.

The impact of childhood adversity on mental health is well-known, but a new study takes it a step further by showing how these experiences can alter the brain’s functional architecture.

Adults with documented childhood maltreatment, especially neglect, showed significant cognitive deficits, while self-reported cases did not. This suggests prior research may underestimate the cognitive impact of objectively documented childhood abuse and neglect.

A new study has found that individuals with more childhood adversity reported weaker subjective responses to stimulant drugs, suggesting trauma may alter drug experiences and highlighting the need to explore underlying mechanisms in future research.