Cited by 892Child Abuse and TraumaPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

The Biological Effects of Childhood Trauma

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De Bellis, Michael D., Zisk, Abigail·2014·Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America

Abstract

Trauma in childhood is a psychosocial, medical, and public policy problem with serious consequences for its victims and for society. Chronic interpersonal violence in children is common worldwide. Developmental traumatology, the systemic investigation of the psychiatric and psychobiological effects of chronic overwhelming stress on the developing child, provides a framework and principles when empirically examining the neurobiological effects of pediatric trauma. This article focuses on peer-reviewed literature on the neurobiological sequelae of childhood trauma in children and in adults with histories of childhood trauma.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.chc.2014.01.002

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  • The traumatic stress response in children is embedded within three major circuits: the HPA axis, the limbic system, and the prefrontal cortex.

    “most agree that it is embedded within three major circuits: the HPA axis, the limbic system, and the prefrontal cortex.”

    From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Introduction and the LHPA-axis section describe an interacting stress response involving the LHPA axis, amygdala and prefrontal cortex. They do not identify these as the three major circuits or establish that this is a consensus view; the Introduction also emphasizes other stress-response systems, including the sympathetic nervous system. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  • Experiences of adverse events can become biologically consolidated, creating individual vulnerability to psychological and psychiatric issues later in life.

    “Such experiences can become biologically consolidated, creating individual vulnerability to psychological and psychiatric issues later in life.”
  • Multiple neurotransmitter systems, including the serotonergic, opioid, and dopaminergic systems, have each been linked to specific symptom clusters in PTSD.

    “Multiple neurotransmitter systems, including the serotonergic, opioid, and dopaminergic systems, have each been linked to specific symptom clusters in PTSD (De Bellis and Zisk, 2014).”

    From Deviations from the expectable environment in early childhood and emerging psychopathology (2015) · cites this paper as De Bellis and Zisk, 2014

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Authors
De Bellis, M. D., & Zisk, A.
Affiliations
Duke University (US)
Venue
Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-04
Volume
23
Issue
2
Pages
185-222
ISSN
1056-4993 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2070012950
Cited by
892
References
277
Citations by year
2026: 65 · 2025: 104 · 2024: 97 · 2023: 86 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 109 · 2020: 103 · 2019: 87 · 2018: 58 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1
FWCI
5.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (K24DA028773)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
childhood trauma, neurobiological effects, chronic stress, interpersonal violence, psychobiological effects, psychiatric sequelae, public policy
MeSH terms
Catecholamines, Child, Child Abuse, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Immune System, Life Change Events, Locus Coeruleus, Oxytocin, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Serotonin, Stress, Psychological, Sympathetic Nervous System, Epigenesis, Genetic

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