Citation

Mead HK, Beauchaine TP, Shannon KE. Dev. Psychopathol. 2010; 22(1): 1-22.

Affiliation

University of Washington.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S0954579409990228

PMID

20102643

PMCID

PMC2813461

Abstract

Developmental adaptations to violent environments involve a multitude of cascading effects spanning many levels of analysis from genes to behavior. In this review, we (a) examine the potentiating effects of violence on genetic vulnerabilities and the functioning of neurotransmitter systems in producing both internalizing and externalizing psychopathology; (b) describe implications of violence exposure for brain development, particularly within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex; and (c) consider the effects of violence on developing human stress and startle responses. This review integrates literatures on the developmental effects of violence among rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans. Many neurobiological changes that are adaptive for survival in violent contexts become maladaptive in other environments, conferring life-long risk for psychopathology.

Language: en