Adolescent Brain Development Under Stress and Trauma: Evidence-Based Treatments

Abstract

The developing adolescent brain is particularly susceptible to the effects of stress and trauma which can result in long-lasting morphological and psychological effects. This review paper aims to highlight the important changes caused by childhood stress and trauma, outline current treatments, and provide insight into future research directions. Studies suggest that exposure to stressors and traumatic events at a young age increases overall volume in the amygdala while decreasing volume in the hippocampus and frontocortical regions. However, due to a discrepancy in results, there is a need for future studies to control for age-based and trauma differences. Additionally, analysis of commonly used treatments reveals that a combination of therapeutic approaches, hormonal treatments, and lifestyle changes is generally most effective to address both underlying mechanisms and psychological effects. Ultimately, studies show that adolescent stress and trauma leads to significant hormonal and morphological changes in the brain that result in psychological changes such as anxiety and depressive symptoms.