Developmental trajectories of abuse--an hypothesis for the effects of early childhood maltreatment on dorsolateral prefrontal cortical development.

Publisher: Eden Press Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7505668 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1532-2777 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 03069877 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Med Hypotheses Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: New York : Elsevier, 2002- : Eden Press
Original Publication: Penrith, Eng., Eden Press.

Models, Psychological*; Child Abuse/*psychology ; Developmental Disabilities/*pathology ; Prefrontal Cortex/*growth & development; Child ; Developmental Disabilities/etiology ; Hippocampus/growth & development ; Humans ; United States/epidemiology

The United States has a high rate of child maltreatment, with nearly 12 in 1000 children being victims of abuse or neglect. Child abuse strongly predicts negative life outcomes, especially in areas of emotional and mental health. Abused children are also more likely than their peers to engage in violence and enter the juvenile justice system, as well as to become abusive parents themselves. Research has shown that child abuse and trauma can lead to decreased hippocampal volume, which could be indicative of abnormal hippocampal development. Hippocampal development appears to directly affect the development of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain area responsible for emotion regulation, cognitive reappraisal, and general executive function. Therefore, I hypothesize that if child abuse results in abnormal hippocampal development, which leads to abnormal dorsolateral prefrontal cortex development, many of the correlated risk factors of child abuse, such as emotionally-laden parenting and unfavorable cognitive distortions regarding children's behaviors, may be in part caused by underdevelopment or abnormal functioning of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as a function of the individual's own experiences with abuse during childhood. If this hypothesis is supported with future research, more targeted, successful, and cost-effective prevention and treatment protocols could ensue. For instance, programs that have been empirically shown to increase the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, could be effective in decreasing the incidence of intergenerational transfer of abuse.
(Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Date Created: 20131001 Date Completed: 20140602 Latest Revision: 20131104

20240628

10.1016/j.mehy.2013.09.006

24075592