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Exposure to traumatic experiences in childhood can have a negative impact on the development of the brain when it鈥檚 most vulnerable.

Cases of childhood maltreatment are more common than reported; Australian children were exposed to maltreatment in 2015 and 2016. Adversity in childhood can include experiences such as emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, neglect, and the sudden loss of a parent or caregiver.

Early life adversity is a major risk factor for the development of psychological and behavioural problems later in life. Higher rates of depression, suicidality, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and aggressive behaviour who experienced childhood maltreatment.

Traumatic childhood events also contribute to increased drug use and dependence. Initiation of drug-taking behaviour in those who鈥檝e experienced childhood trauma. Exposure to stressful events in childhood can increase the impact of stressful events throughout life. Add divorce or unemployment to childhood trauma and someone can be more likely to develop psychological disorders or addiction.

But go on to develop mental illness. It seems how you cope with stressful experiences is not only influenced by your prior experiences, but also your genes, coping responses and brain regulation. Chemicals in the brain such as cortisol and oxytocin are important for stress and emotional regulation.

What is oxytocin?

Oxytocin is a hormone naturally produced by the brain. It鈥檚 commonly called the 鈥渓ove hormone鈥� as it promotes sociability, emotional regulation, and bonds between a mother and child,听.

The amount of oxytocin in the brain varies from person to person. Women and men differ in their regulation of oxytocin, but it鈥檚聽聽for everyone. Variations in the oxytocin gene even affect聽.

Environmental factors can also influence the development of the oxytocin system, which starts to develop in the womb and continues to develop after birth.聽聽during infancy, childhood, and adolescence, based on our experiences. Positive or negative experiences early in life聽.

Exposure to nurturing and loving parents can contribute to the normal development of this system. Exposure to adversity, such as stress or illness, can聽聽and functioning of oxytocin and the oxytocin receptor.

The impact of early life stress

Studies in rodents have taught us how the development of the oxytocin system is altered by early trauma. Early life stress聽聽within the hypothalamus and the amygdala, which are important brain regions in the production of oxytocin and emotional regulation respectively. Even the functioning of the oxytocin receptor is聽.

Similar changes are also clear in humans exposed to childhood trauma. Women who were exposed to child abuse showed聽聽later in life, as did聽. Oxytocin levels were聽聽who had been raised in neglectful conditions in a Romanian orphanage.

These long-lasting changes affect behavioural outcomes. Exposure to early life adversity聽聽in rodents, which endures well into adulthood.

Research has shown how early life stress can impact on the developing oxytocin system resulting in a greater susceptibility to develop drug dependence and being聽.

In turn, a well-regulated oxytocin system can support greater resilience against excessive drug use and addiction. Animal studies show oxytocin can boost the reward of聽, lower the聽,听, and聽. But we still need more research in humans.

Early life stressors do not only impact the oxytocin system. A number of other systems that work with oxytocin聽, such as important neurotransmitters and the stress system. This results in changes to how these systems interact and contributes to changes in the oxytocin system and ultimately behaviour.

As oxytocin is critically involved in emotional regulation, understanding how the developing oxytocin system can be affected early in life can help us understand how early adversities can have a long-lasting impact on mental health.

, Associate lecturer,听听补苍诲听, Senior Lecturer Addiction Studies,听

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