Brain imaging shows kids' PTSD symptoms linked to poor hippocampus function
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - 16:35
in Psychology & Sociology
Psychological trauma leaves a trail of damage in a child's brain, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Their new study gives the first direct evidence that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress suffer poor function of the hippocampus, a brain structure that stores and retrieves memories. The research helps explain why traumatized children behave as they do and could improve treatments for these kids.