Social deprivation and the HPA axis in early development
Open accessAbstract
Growing evidence suggests that early social deprivation impacts the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. Early adverse care in the form of institutional or orphanage care provides a human model for early social deprivation. The present study examined changes in diurnal cortisol during the transition to family care in the first 2 years post-adoption. Children adopted between 15 and 36 months from institutional care were examined four times during their first 2 years post-adoption (N=58). Comparison groups included same-aged peers reared in their birth families (N=50) and children adopted during their first year from overseas foster care (N=47). Children provided daily cortisol samples at roughly 2, 9, 17, and 25 months post-adoption. Post-institutionalized and post-foster care children exhibited less steep diurnal cortisol compared to non-adopted same-aged peers; these differences did not diminish across the 2 year period. For post-institutionalized children, lower social care quality in institutions was associated with less steep cortisol slopes. Lastly, shallower diurnal cortisol was a mediator between adoption status and increased behavioral problems 2 years post-adoption. Consistent with the non-human primate literature, early social deprivation may contribute to early programming of the HPA axis.
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Social deprivation during early childhood (ages 0-2) is associated with flat diurnal cortisol slopes throughout the day.
“For example, social deprivation during early childhood (ages 0–2) is associated with flat diurnal cortisol slopes throughout the day (Koss et al., 2014).”
From Developmental psychoneuroendocrine and psychoneuroimmune pathways from childhood adversity to disease (2017) · cites this paper as Koss et al., 2014
Children in isolation exhibited less pronounced daytime cortisol compared to non-isolated peers of the same age, and these differences did not diminish over the two-year period.
“Children in isolation exhibited less pronounced daytime cortisol compared to non-isolated peers of the same age; these differences did not diminish over the two-year period.”
From Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
Socially isolated children were at significantly higher risk of health problems in adulthood compared to non-isolated children.
“Socially isolated children were at significantly higher risk of health problems in adulthood compared to non-isolated children.”
From Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
Early social deprivation can contribute to the early programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
“It was found that early social deprivation can contribute to the early programming of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.”
From Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
Children with normal social life exhibited less pronounced daytime cortisol rates than isolated children.
“Koss et al. 16 examined changes in the levels of daytime cortisol in children with normal social life and isolated children and noted that the first group exhibited less pronounced rates of the hormone.”
From Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
Among children in isolation, those with better social care had more pronounced reductions in cortisol throughout the day (p<0.010).
“and more pronounced reductions in cortisol throughout the day (p<0.010)”
From Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
Among children in isolation, those with better social care by adults and institutions had significantly higher morning cortisol (p<0.001).
“children in isolation with better social care by adults and institutions had significantly higher morning cortisol (p<0.001)”
From Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
Social deprivation in childhood can contribute to early programming of the HPA axis.
“noting that social deprivation in childhood can contribute to the early programming of the HPA axis.”
From Social isolation and its impact on child and adolescent development: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
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“For example, social deprivation during early childhood (ages 0–2) is associated with flat diurnal cortisol slopes throughout the day (Koss et al., 2014).”
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- Authors
- Koss, K. J., Hostinar, C. E., Donzella, B., & Gunnar, M. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Northwestern University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Koss, Kalsea J.
- Gunnar, Megan R.
- Venue
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-12
- Volume
- 50
- Pages
- 1-13
- ISSN
- 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4252479
- OpenAlex
- W2121601441
- Cited by
- 99
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 9 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 5.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH080905, P50 MH078105, T32 MH015755)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Keywords
- social deprivation, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, diurnal cortisol, institutional care, orphanage care, adoption, foster care, early childhood development, cortisol slope, behavioral problems, social care quality, developmental programming
- MeSH terms
- Adoption, Child Development, Child, Preschool, Female, Foster Home Care, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Male, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Saliva, Social Isolation, Stress, Psychological
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