Early Life Stress and Brain Plasticity: From Alterations of Brain Morphology to Development of Psychopathology

Fredrick Otieno Oginga,Khanyiso Bright Shangase,Thabisile Mpofana,Thabo Magwai,Khethelo Richman Xulu

doi:10.3390/neurosci3010008

Fredrick Otieno Oginga, Khanyiso Bright Shangase + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci3010008

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Abstract

Advances in our understanding of the genetics of mental disorders (MD) have contributed to a better understanding of their pathophysiology. Nonetheless, several questions and doubts remain. Recent research has focused on the role of the environment in developing mental disorders, and the advent of neuroscientific methodologies has opened up new avenues of inquiry. However, the mechanism by which childhood stress affects neurodevelopment via mechanisms, such as gene-environment interactions and epigenetic regulation leading to diseases in adulthood, is unclear. This paper aims to review the evidence on the role of early life stress and parental psychopathology in the pathophysiology and clinical expression of MD. Methodology: The study will conduct a comprehensive systematic review using medical search terms (MeSH). Electronic searches for published studies will be performed using the MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Scopus, PsychINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. We will look for research on the neuroplasticity effects of early life stress on development and review articles that evaluate cognitive functions and the development of psychopathology and MD. Before identifying full-text articles, several studies will be filtered based on titles, abstracts, keywords, and synonyms. Publications to be included in the review will be assessed for quality and consistency before inclusion. Data will be extracted independently and duplicated by two authors from each eligible study to ensure consistency between reviews. All databases will be searched from inception until July 2021 and will be limited to human studies. The search will be limited only to publication in the English language and any publication that can be converted to English. Discussion and Conclusions: The findings of this review will meticulously articulate the effects of childhood adversity, such as ELS and parental psychopathology on cognitive development and neuroplasticity.

Highlights

IntroductionThe long-term consequences of adverse childhood experiences have become a focus of a wide range of scientific inquiry
Over the last decade, the long-term consequences of adverse childhood experiences have become a focus of a wide range of scientific inquiry
This study aims to illustrate the impact of early life stress on brain morphology and the development of psychopathology

Summary

Introduction

The long-term consequences of adverse childhood experiences have become a focus of a wide range of scientific inquiry. Life stress (ELS), childhood physical, sexual, and emotional abuse has been linked to poor general health outcomes in adulthood [1,2]. Stress in early life has been linked to personality disorders and the development of schizophrenia [3]. Given the plasticity of the central nervous system during childhood, it has been proposed that traumatic experiences during sensitive periods of brain development are likely to have adverse long-term effects on brain function and adaptation. Underscoring the centrality of stress to depression, many candidate biomarkers of depression, including smaller hippocampal volume [18], [19], disruptions in HPA-axis functioning [20,21] and elevated peripheral inflammation [22,23], are linked with exposure to early adversity. There is a paucity of data on the possible physiological changes associated with adverse childhood experiences [24]

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