New research has revealed that exposure to common family
problems during childhood and early adolescence affects brain development,
which could lead to mental health issues in later life.
The study led by Dr Nicholas Walsh, lecturer in
developmental psychology at the University of East Anglia, used brain imaging
technology to scan teenagers aged 17-19. It found that those who experienced
mild to moderate family difficulties between birth and 11 years of age had
developed a smaller cerebellum, an area of the brain associated with skill
learning, stress regulation and sensory-motor control. The researchers also
suggest that a smaller cerebellum may be a risk indicator of psychiatric
disease later in life, as it is consistently found to be smaller in virtually
all psychiatric illnesses.