Bridging Intimate Partner Violence and the Human Brain: A Literature Review
Abstract
Past studies mainly focused on the physical and structural brain injuries in women survivors with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV), but little attention has been given to the biological impact and cognitive dysfunction resulting from such psychological stress. In this article, we aim to establish the connection between IPV and the brain by reviewing current literature examining (1) the biological mechanisms linking IPV, stress, and the brain; (2) the functional and anatomical considerations of the brain in abused women; and (3) the abused women's behavioral responses to IPV, including fear, pain, and emotion regulation, by utilizing functional neuroimaging. The major significance of this study is in highlighting the need to advance beyond self-reports and to obtain scientific evidence of the neurological impact and cognitive dysfunction in abused women with a history of IPV, an area in which current literature remains at a descriptive level.
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Chronic stress exposure is associated with diminished prefrontal regulatory capacity, resulting in impaired decision-making, reduced cognitive flexibility, and difficulties in inhibiting maladaptive responses.
“Chronic stress exposure has been associated with diminished prefrontal regulatory capacity, resulting in impaired decision-making, reduced cognitive flexibility, and difficulties in inhibiting maladaptive responses.”
From From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery (2026) · cites this paper as Wong et al., 2014
The imbalance between heightened limbic reactivity and weakened cortical control mechanisms underlies many behavioral and emotional patterns observed in individuals exposed to prolonged relational abuse, including difficulty disengaging from harmful relationships despite conscious awareness of risk.
“This imbalance between heightened limbic reactivity and weakened cortical control mechanisms underlies many of the behavioral and emotional patterns observed in individuals exposed to prolonged relational abuse, including difficulty disengaging from harmful relationships despite conscious awareness of risk (Wong et al., 2014).”
From From use to abuse: psychological, neurobiological, and spiritual pathways in relational harm and recovery (2026) · cites this paper as Wong et al., 2014
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References 137 · Cited by 69
- Authors
- Wong, J. Y.-H., Fong, D. Y.-T., Lai, V., & Tiwari, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- School of Nursing, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Corresponding author
- Wong, Janet Yuen-Ha
- Venue
- Trauma, Violence, & Abuse
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2013-07-22
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 22-33
- ISSN
- 1524-8380 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-8324
- OpenAlex
- W2105979691
- Cited by
- 69
- References
- 137
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 4.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Trauma Violence & Abuse (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Keywords
- intimate partner violence, women survivors, psychological stress, brain, cognitive impairment, emotion regulation, fear, pain, functional neuroimaging
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Brain, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Mental Health, Spouse Abuse, Women's Health, Battered Women
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