The impact of childhood trauma in relationship with the phenomenon of attachment: neurobiological patterns

recently, there have been many studies devoted to the behavioral and neurobiological consequences of exposure to adverse factors in early childhood. An analysis of existing scientific works suggests that adverse experiences in early childhood, especially during the sensitive period of brain development, lead to increased sensitivity to the effects of stress in later ages and increase a person’s vulnerability to mental disorders. The focus of this article is a review of the current literature on childhood trauma and stress in the context of attachment to determine the neurobiological mechanisms and consequences for a child’s development. The work uses a theoretical and analytical research method, including a review and systematization of existing scientific data on the neurobiological patterns of the influence of childhood trauma on human behavior and health throughout life. The results allow us to assert the presence of the influence of early trauma on a child’s behavior and mental health in later periods. The authors note that the consequences of trauma may be externally imperceptible at first, but are activated under the influence of stressful events later. The mechanism of this influence is associated with changes in the morphology and functioning of various parts of the brain. The consequences of brain changes may be: the phenomenon of social anhedonia, the development of mental illnesses, disruption of social skills, difficulties in building attachment relationships.

attachment, attachment trauma, neurobiological consequences, early life stress, brain development, mental disorders