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The Traumatic Stress Response In Child Maltreatment And Resultant Neuropsychological Effects, Kathryn R. Wilson, David J. Hansen, Ming Li

David J. Hansen

Child maltreatment is a pervasive problem in our society that has long-term detrimental consequences to the development of the affected child such as future brain growth and functioning. In this paper, we surveyed empirical evidence on the neuropsychological effects of child maltreatment, with a special emphasis on emotional, behavioral, and cognitive process–response difficulties experienced by maltreated children. The alteration of the biochemical stress response system in the brain that changes an individual’s ability to respond efficiently and efficaciously to future stressors is conceptualized as the traumatic stress response. Vulnerable brain regions include the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and …