Childhood adversity can have long-lasting effects, which may be related to a newly identified brain pathway suriyachan/Shutterstock
A newly identified brain pathway in mice could explain why experiencing hardship early in life leads to poorer mental health as an adult. If a similar pathway is found in human brains, it could be the target of future drug therapies.
During childhood, “poverty, immigration, neglect and abuse are all associated with an increased risk for mental health issues later in life, specifically depression, drug use and even suicide”, says Tallie Z. Baram at the University of California, Irvine.
The precise mechanisms underlying…
