BishopAccountability.org
	Biological Links Found between Childhood Abuse and Adolescent Depression Science Daily April 21, 2011 http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AbuseTracker/Biological%20Links%20Found%20Between%20Childhood%20Abuse%20and%20Adolescent%20Depression ScienceDaily (Apr. 20, 2011) — Kate Harkness has found that a history of physical, sexual or emotional abuse in childhood substantially increases the risk of depression in adolescence by altering a person's neuroendocrine response to stress. Adolescents with a history of maltreatment and a mild level of depression were found to release much more of the stress hormone cortisol than is normal in response to psychological stressors such as giving a speech or solving a difficult arithmetic test. "This kind of reaction is a problem because cortisol kills cells in areas of the brain that control memory and emotion regulation," explains Dr. Harkness, a professor in the Department of Psychology and an expert in the role of stress and trauma in adolescent depression. "Over time cortisol levels can build up and increase a person's risk for more severe endocrine impairment and more severe depression."
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.