Written by Kaytee Gillis, LCSW
A recent study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging finds that childhood trauma can lead to disruptions in two main regions of the brain, the default mode network (DMN) and the central executive network (CEN). As these areas are responsible for emotional regulation, memory processing, and stress response, this research points to the connection between childhood trauma and lifelong brain changes (Ireton, Hughes, & Klabunde, 2024). The researchers found that, when compared to those without a trauma history, children who had experienced trauma displayed increased activity in the default mode network during memory, social processing, or emotional tasks (Ireton, Hughes, & Klabunde, 2024).
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