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Cited by 84Child Abuse and TraumaChild Welfare and AdoptionStress Responses and Cortisol

Early deprivation alters structural brain development from middle childhood to adolescence

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Sheridan, Margaret A., Mukerji, Cora E., Wade, Mark, Humphreys, Kathryn L., Garrisi, Kathryn, Goel, Srishti, Patel, Kinjal, Fox, Nathan A. +3 more·2022·Science Advances
DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abn4316PMC PMC9544316
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Abstract

Hypotheses concerning the biologic embedding of early adversity via developmental neuroplasticity mechanisms have been proposed on the basis of experimental studies in animals. However, no studies have demonstrated a causal link between early adversity and neural development in humans. Here, we present evidence from a randomized controlled trial linking psychosocial deprivation in early childhood to changes in cortical development from childhood to adolescence using longitudinal data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project. Changes in cortical structure due to randomization to foster care were most pronounced in the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex and in white matter tracts connecting the prefrontal and parietal cortex. Demonstrating the causal impact of exposure to deprivation on the development of neural structure highlights the importance of early placement into family-based care to mitigate lasting neurodevelopmental consequences associated with early-life deprivation.

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Authors
Sheridan, M. A., Mukerji, C. E., Wade, M., Humphreys, K. L., Garrisi, K., Goel, S., Patel, K., Fox, N. A., Zeanah, C. H., Nelson, C. A., & McLaughlin, K. A.
Affiliations
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • Bryn Mawr College (US)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • Vanderbilt University (US)
  • University of Maryland, College Park (US)
  • Tulane University (US)
  • Boston Children's Hospital (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Sheridan, Margaret A.
ORCID
Venue
Science Advances
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Published
2022-10-07
Volume
8
Issue
40
Pages
eabn4316-eabn4316
ISSN
2375-2548 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1126/sciadv.abn4316
PMC
PMC9544316
OpenAlex
W4303449032
Cited by
84
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 1
FWCI
13.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • Science Advances (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College (Bryn Mawr College) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01mh115004-05, 5r37mh119194-05)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R37-MH119194, R01‐MH115004, K01MH092555, R01MH091363, K01MH092526, R01MH106482)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P50HD103573, P50HD105351)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
early childhood deprivation, childhood adversity, neuroplasticity, cortical development, white matter tracts, prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, foster care, family-based care, Bucharest Early Intervention Project, neurodevelopmental outcomes, middle childhood, adolescence
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Biological Products, Brain, Child, Child, Institutionalized, Child, Preschool, Foster Home Care, Humans, Psychosocial Deprivation, White Matter

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