Stress in early childhood due to negative experiences — such as illness or divorce of parents — may lead to faster maturation of certain brain regions, during adolescence, a new study suggests.
The study found that these experiences cause faster maturation of the prefrontal cortex and amygdala — that also play a role in the control of emotions, in adolescence.
“From an evolutionary perspective, it is useful to mature faster if you grow up in a stressful environment. However, it also prevents the brain from adjusting to the current environment in a flexible way,” said Anna Tyborowska from the Radboud University in the Netherlands.
In contrast, stress experienced later in life such as low peer esteem at school, is connected to a slower maturation of the brain area hippocampus and another part of the prefrontal cortex in teenage years, the researchers added.
