Childhood Neglect Linked to ADHD

Rebecca Lewis October 17, 2014

Research from the University of Washington found that early childhood neglect is associated with changes in brain structure.

The study, which appeared in the journal Biological Psychiatry, finds that children who spent their early years in these institutions have thinner brain tissue in some areas. The brain areas of reduced cortical mass correspond to impulse control and attention.

“These differences suggest a way that the early care environment has dramatic and lasting effects for children’s functioning,” said lead author Dr Katie McLaughlin, a University of Washington assistant professor of psychology.

The Bucharest Early Intervention Project has worked to document and treat the children’s health for 14 years.

This study is among the first in any setting to document how social deprivation in early life affects the thickness of the cortex, the folded layer of gray matter that forms the outer layer of the brain.

“We find a pervasive pattern of differences [among institutionalized children] in areas of the brain related to attention, working memory, and social cognition,” McLaughlin said.

“It’s known that children raised in institutions tend to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, about four or five times more often than other children,” McLaughlin said.

The new work suggests how this happens.

The study provides “very strong support” for a link between the early environment and ADHD, McLaughlin said.

Researchers compared brain scans from 58 children who spent at least some time in institutions and 22 non-institutionalised children from nearby communities, all between the ages of eight and 10.

This was the first time in the on-going study that the children underwent an MRI scan, which creates a 3-D map of the brain.

The current study builds on a finding last year that found children raised in the orphanages had less gray matter overall.

This study pinpoints the location of those differences. The most significant changes were in areas of the brain related to working memory and attention.

Researchers also found that the thinner the brain tissue, the more symptoms of inattention and impulsivity the children displayed.

Researchers did not find differences in the volume of sub-cortical structures. No significant difference was seen between girls and boys, who were about equally represented.

“ADHD has many different causes and can often be treated,” McLaughlin said. This study only looked at the link to childhood deprivation.

The results are meaningful for other countries, such as those in Africa, where orphanages and institutions are becoming more common. The findings may also be relevant for less extreme situations of neglect.

Source of this article: Neglect Hinders Brain Development, Influences ADHD