Two related research issues developed in CIIPME- CONICET

RICHAUD, M. C.

Melbourne, Australia

Simposio; International Congress or Applied Psy chology 2010, Australia; 2010

Evidence has grown over the past years, of an ongoing interaction between the impact of a given environment and the intricate brain circuit. Strengthening of synaptic elements occurs through functional validation, causing the brain to connect in order to be on a par with the needs of the environment (Andersen, 2003). Several environmental factors, over and above malnutrition, may affect the processes of brain-development, although one of the most relevant is the impact caused by environmental stress. Stress strongly impacts brain biology, as it causes an increase of the cortisol level in the blood. Excessively high and constant levels of cortisol in the brain prevent neuronal growth and synapses formation in the child. Given that situation, the risk of cognitive and socio-emotional deficit is round the corner (Lewis & Thomas, 1990; Larson, Gunnar & Hertzgaard, 1991). Children who grow up in families facing economic hardship commonly exhibit elevated cortisol levels. These elevations are often exacerbated when mothers experience symptoms of depression (Essex, et al., 2002; Lupien et al., 2000, 2001). If a child lives in a threatening, chaotic world, his brain will be hyper-alert for danger; his survival may depend on it. But if this environment persists, and the child's brain is focused on developing and strengthening its strategies for survival, other strategies may not develop as fully. If a child lives in a world that ignores him, if he is not provided with appropriate stimulation for growth, his brain will focus on survival from day to day and may not fully develop healthy cognitive and social skills (Ounce of Prevention Fund, 1996, cited in  Lieberman & Zeanah, 1995). The result may be a child who has great difficulty functioning when presented with a world of kindness, nurturing, and stimulation. It is an unfamiliar world to him; his brain has not developed the pathways and the memories to adapt to this new world.