Citation

Cross D, Fani N, Powers A, Bradley B. Clin. Psychol. Sci. Pract. 2017; 24(2): 111-124.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of MedicineAtlanta VA Medical Center.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/cpsp.12198

PMID

30906116

PMCID

PMC6428430

Abstract

Neurobiological systems may be particularly susceptible to deleterious impact of childhood trauma, and the impact of childhood trauma on development and subsequent functional outcomes across the lifespan has been well-documented. The current review addresses the neurobiological impact of exposure to interpersonal trauma in childhood in the context of executive function, emotion regulation, and dissociation/interoceptive awareness. Subsequent risk for PTSD and depression is also discussed. The pathway of risk from childhood trauma to these cognitive, emotional, and psychiatric outcomes is addressed in terms of potential structural and functional alterations within the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala resulting from chronic or repeated activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its interaction with and influence on genetic and epigenetic processes during sensitive periods of development. Implications for practice are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

childhood maltreatment; childhood trauma; dissociation; emotion regulation; executive function; neurobiology