Neurobiological Consequences of Neglect and Abuse

Young children are fully dependent on responsive and adequate caregiving in order to regulate basic biological and behavioral functions. Child abuse and neglect, which reflect extreme failures of caregiving, can significantly interfere with children’s biological regulation and brain development. In this chapter, we review evidence showing that childhood maltreatment is associated with disruptions in the body’s stress response system and is linked to structural and functional changes in key brain regions and networks. Additionally, we describe a number of important methodological and conceptual issues involved in understanding the neurobiological effects of maltreatment, we discuss implications for intervention with children who have experienced maltreatment, and finally, we suggest critical directions for future research in this area. We conclude that the brain demonstrates notable plasticity early in life as evidenced by significant changes following maltreatment, as well as the potential for remarkable recovery following intervention.