Developmental Contributors to Trauma Response: The Importance of Sensitive Periods, Early Environment, and Sex Differences.
This review considers early factors that interact with development to contribute to later trauma responses, including developmental sensitive periods, the effects of early environment, and the emergence of sex differences. We also describe development of neural substrates that have been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and specifically focus on fear behavior and circuitry. Emerging evidence suggests that there may be developmental shifts around age 10 in these underlying circuits that may contribute to vulnerability. We also discuss age-related changes in the importance of caregiver availability as positive buffering factors. Hormonal changes later in development with onset during puberty appear to further shape development trajectories toward risk or resilience. We highlight these recent findings as well as the great need for further longitudinal research from middle childhood through early adulthood.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 49 Jesse Hill Jr Dr, Suite 331, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
Jennifer S
JS
Stevens
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 49 Jesse Hill Jr Dr, Suite 331, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
Sanne J H
SJH
van Rooij
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 49 Jesse Hill Jr Dr, Suite 331, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA. tjovano@emory.edu.
Tanja
T
Jovanovic
D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Amygdala; Child development; Early environment; Fear conditioning; Sensitive periods; Sex differences; Social buffering; Trauma