Child neglect alters brain pathways, study finds
Child neglect alters brain's white matter, affecting movement, attention, language, and emotion.
Why it matters
- Offers scientific evidence for awareness and policy on child neglect.
- Identifies objective brain markers for early intervention.
By the numbers
- Studied 21 neglected children and 106 controls.
- Found abnormalities in 3 key brain regions.
The big picture
- Neglect is common but understudied, causing hidden long-term harm.
- Brain markers could enable early detection and intervention.
What they're saying
- Neglect alone has profound impact on brain development.
- Findings provide markers for early identification by professionals.
Caveats
- Study is correlational; cannot confirm neglect caused abnormalities.
What’s next
- Findings could lead to early interventions for neglected children.