Early Life Adversity and Childhood Maltreatment

Not all depression is the same. A new study reveals that depressed patients with a high genetic risk for bipolar disorder show a structural brain association with childhood trauma that closely mimics bipolar disorder itself.

Psychological stress from childhood adversity doesn't just affect mental health. A new study shows that trauma like family disruption physically damages the immune and metabolic systems of children as early as age 13.

A new study suggests that growing up in poverty accelerates biological development. For adolescent girls, this early onset of puberty provides a pathway linking financial hardship to increased anxiety, behavioral issues, and lower academic achievement.

Experiencing multiple childhood traumas doesn't just increase the risk of a single addiction. A new study suggests it creates a dense, interconnected web of overlapping substance and behavioral addictions that reinforce one another in adulthood.

A new study reveals a connection between early life trauma and adult brain aging. Adults reporting severe childhood stress demonstrated a stronger link between advancing age and declining mental skills, alongside distinct gray matter volume differences.

New research indicates that childhood abuse and neglect alter executive function in young adults. While trauma negatively impacts mental flexibility, the brain appears to prioritize and preserve working memory to help individuals survive unpredictable environments.

A new study finds that children exposed to violence show increased activity in the insula when seeing or hearing their parents. This suggests trauma changes how the developing brain processes caregiver signals.

A new study finds that while severe childhood trauma often leads to early alcoholism, specific genetic variants are more closely linked to the disorder developing later in life.

A new study reveals that while childhood trauma leads youth into the justice system, it does not predict violent misconduct during incarceration. Instead, mental health history and gang affiliation are stronger indicators of behavior behind bars.

Most people think memory is like a video recording, but new research suggests otherwise. A study shows that young adults remember their childhoods differently depending on how well they get along with their parents right now.

Hardships faced in childhood may leave a chemical signature on our DNA decades later. A new study finds that specific early-life struggles are linked to a higher biological age in older women.

Survivors of childhood trauma face higher risks of persistent pain after events like car crashes. New findings in Pain show that early adversity creates a physiological vulnerability to unremitting physical discomfort.

A new study suggests that verbal mistreatment drives malignant self-regard more than other forms of trauma. Researchers found that internalized shame is most closely linked to emotional abuse, with distinct patterns emerging for men.

A new study suggests that people from harsh childhoods invest more energy in seeking new partners. This "mating effort" is linked to lower satisfaction and higher conflict in adult relationships, independent of attachment style.

New imaging research reveals that early neglect causes widespread hyperactivity in the adult brain. The findings suggest childhood trauma fundamentally reorganizes how neural networks process and recover from threats.