The effect of severe stress on early brain development, attachment, and emotions: a psychoanatomical formulation

Abstract

Child abuse is the most extreme form of stress in childhood and adolescence, and has severe effects on the child's development. Limbic nuclei and circuitry development are especially vulnerable to child abuse and neglect during the first year of life. Development at the neuronal level can be severely disturbed by trauma during early infancy, resulting in maladaptive synaptic formation, impeding experience-expectant brain development. Development of basic emotions may favor the development of negative instead of positive emotions. The new concept of psychoanatomical formulation is introduced. A case vignette is presented and analyzed, based on the disturbed neuroanatomy underlying symptom expression.

Keywords: Amygdala; Attachment; Child abuse; Child neglect; Emotions; Limbic system development; Psychoanatomical formulation.