Early adverse experience as a developmental risk factor for later psychopathology: Evidence from rodent and primate models

Increasing evidence supports the view that the interaction of perinatal exp osure to adversity with individual genetic liabilities may increase an indi vidual's vulnerability to the expression of psycho- and physiopathology thr oughout lifer The early environment appears to program some aspects of neur obiological development and. in turn. behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physiological development. Several rodent and primate models of early adve rse experience have been analyzed in this review, including those that "mod el" maternal separation or loss, abuse or neglect, and social deprivation. Accumulating evidence shows that these early traumatic experiences are asso ciated with long-term alterations in coping style, emotional and behavioral regulation. neuroendocrine responsiveness to stress, social "fitness," cog nitive function. brain morphology. neurochemistry, and expression levels of central nervous system genes that have been related to anxiety and mood di sorders. Studies are underway to identify important aspects of adverse earl y experience. such as (a) the existence of "sensitive periods" during devel opment associated with alterations in particular output systems, (b) the pr esence of "windows of opportunity" during which targeted interventions (e.g ., nurturant parenting or supportive-enriching environment) may prevent or reverse dysfunction. (c) the identity of gene polymorphisms contributing to the individual's variability in vulnerability, and (d) a means to translat e the timing of these developmental "sensitive periods" across species.