Tag

Childhood Trauma

All articles tagged with #childhood trauma

Trauma reshapes how children's brains read caregiver cues
developmental-psychology8 days ago

Trauma reshapes how children's brains read caregiver cues

A study of 148 children aged 4–9 found that exposure to threat (abuse, witnessing domestic violence) is linked to greater insula activation when processing a caregiver’s cue, suggesting trauma makes caregiver signals more salient and engages interoceptive processing. Deprivation showed no similar effect, indicating adversities affect brain circuitry in distinct ways. The study used a multimodal fMRI task comparing caregivers to strangers and highlighted cross-sectional limits and the need to explore attachment and long-term mental health outcomes.

HOPE in Action: Healing Childhood Trauma Through Positive Experiences
health25 days ago

HOPE in Action: Healing Childhood Trauma Through Positive Experiences

The HOPE framework translates ACE findings into practice by building four pillars—supportive relationships, safe environments, emotional growth, and social belonging—to buffer childhood trauma; research shows those with strong positive experiences have up to 72% lower risk of poor mental health, and San Diego and other partners are scaling these principles through healthcare, education and policy.

Brain Chemical Found to Link with Depression and Suicidal Ideation
health4 months ago

Brain Chemical Found to Link with Depression and Suicidal Ideation

Scientists have identified the brain chemical SGK1 as a key factor linking childhood trauma to adult depression and suicidal thoughts. Elevated SGK1 levels are associated with increased risk, and inhibiting this chemical could lead to new, more effective antidepressants, especially for those with early life adversity. Studies in animals and genetic data support targeting SGK1 for future treatments.

Childhood Trauma Linked to Long-Term Aggressive Brain Changes
health7 months ago

Childhood Trauma Linked to Long-Term Aggressive Brain Changes

Research at Virginia Tech explores how childhood trauma rewires brain circuits, particularly the thalamic nucleus reuniens, leading to increased impulsive and pathological aggression later in life. Using advanced techniques like CRISPR and optogenetics, scientists aim to identify neural targets for therapies to mitigate trauma-induced aggression.