| It has been established that nature and | | | | more than six times those of the healthy |
| nurture should not be taken as enemies or | | | | women. |
| total opposites, but as two intertwined | | | | |
| realities that function together to make up | | | | In addition to high levels of stress |
| the human experience. Nature was designed for | | | | hormones, other studies by the same group |
| nurture. | | | | found that women who had been abused as |
| | | | children had abnormal development of the |
| Many recent and notable studies have | | | | brain's hippocampus, which suggests another |
| documented the effects that early childhood | | | | physical result of early abuse that could |
| experience can have on both the physical and | | | | lead to permanent brain abnormalities in |
| chemical makeup of the brain. In particular, | | | | later life. |
| childhood abuse and/or neglect can | | | | |
| permanently alter an individual's physiology. | | | | Other brain structures can also be affected |
| These physiological changes may lead to a | | | | by early abuse or neglect. While the basic |
| greater likelihood of the person suffering | | | | unit of the brain is in place at birth, |
| from depression or anxiety later in life. | | | | neuronal pathways for the body's reaction to |
| | | | different experiences are still developing. |
| Groundbreaking results from a major study of | | | | |
| depressed women in the US have shown that | | | | There is a critical period of time in a |
| women who were abused as children have | | | | child's first three years of life during |
| abnormally elevated hormonal responses to | | | | which most of these pathways are formed. If a |
| stress compared to women with no history of | | | | child receives primarily negative stimulation |
| abuse. It suggests that childhood abuse is | | | | early in life, pathways for forming lasting |
| associated with persistent hyperactivity of | | | | relationships and responding to positive |
| the hormonal system associated with the | | | | experiences can be stunted or destroyed. |
| stress response and this may cause greater | | | | While this may be a reaction to help the |
| vulnerability to psychiatric disorders in | | | | child survive, it can cause permanent |
| adulthood. | | | | difficulties for the individual. |
| | | | |
| The study, headed by Dr. Charles Nemeroff at | | | | Other research shows that the brains of |
| Emory University, looked at women diagnosed | | | | severely neglected children tend to be |
| with clinical depression who had been abused | | | | smaller than average with underdeveloped |
| as children; depressed women with no past | | | | areas in the cortex. The long term |
| abuse; and healthy women. Each person was | | | | implications of this are still being |
| given a moderately stressful experience and | | | | examined, but it shows one more way in which |
| asked to perform simple mathematic problems | | | | nurture or lack of it can affect a person's |
| aloud for a panel of stalwart non expressive | | | | biological make-up. |
| judges. | | | | |
| | | | The knowledge that nature and nurture are two |
| Cortisol and ACTH (two hormones that play a | | | | crucial aspects to a person's health will |
| critical role in a person's response to | | | | undoubtedly prove to be a very useful tool in |
| stress) were measured in each subject while | | | | the research and treatment of psychiatric |
| she completed the task. It was found that the | | | | illness and may lead to even more effective |
| levels of these hormones were especially | | | | treatments in the future. |
| pronounced in women who were abused as | | | | |
| children and who also had current depression. | | | | For more health articles visit U Publish Free |
| In fact, their ACTH response indicators were | | | | Articles. |