Pilot Study Suggests Trauma Affects Children's Brains

The March, 2007 issue of Pediatrics presents the results of a pilot longitudinal study examining the effect of early posttraumatic stress on children with a history of abuse. While animal research has found evidence of the damaging effects of glucosteroids in the development of the hippocampus, similar findings have not been consistently found in humans.  In the latest study, a sample of 15 children underwent clinical evaluation for posttraumatic stress, cortisol, and brain imaging and were then followed for a 12 to 18 month period.  Posttraumatic stress and cortisol levels were found to predict reduction in hippocampus volume over that period.  Given that this is a pilot study, further research is needed to learn more about the relationship between trauma and brain development in children.

The study abstract can be found here.  The full-length study is also available.