Stress leads to other changes in the brain, to name a few: changes in the central nervous system, problems in cortical function, and dysfunctional regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (Maxfield, n.d.), both involved in the fear response (Children’s Bureau et al., 2001).
The evidence is clear. Early abuse and trauma clearly effects long-term functioning and alters the brain’s ability to cope with stress, to remember and learn, and increases the incidence of psychopathology. Fortunately the brain is able to repair itself and medication aids in reversing long-term symptoms of abuse and trauma.
Brain Plasticity
Brain cells have an ability to transfigure themselves. This phenomenon is known as brain plasticity. The ability of the brain to adapt to changes makes recovery from abuse and trauma possible (Hernandez et al., 2004). More research is needed as little is known about this phenomenon (Hernandez et al., 2004).
Learning and brain development occurs by making, amplifying, and disposing of synapses between neurons (Children’s Bureau et al., 2001). At the age of three years children have around 1,000 trillion synapses. By adolescence half of these synapses will have been discarded. 500 trillion is the number of synapses that individuals have for the majority of their adult lives (Children’s Bureau et al., 2001).