Investigating patterns of neural response associated with childhood abuse childhood neglect.

Background: Childhood maltreatment is robustly associated with increased risk of poor mental health outcome and changes in brain function. The authors investigated whether childhood experience of abuse (e.g.

Neurocognitive Adaptation and Mental Health Vulnerability Following Maltreatment: The Role of Social Functioning.

Childhood maltreatment is associated with a lifetime increase in risk of mental health disorder. We propose that such vulnerability may stem in large part from altered patterns of social functioning. Here, we highlight key findings from the psychological and epidemiological literature indicating that early maltreatment experience compromises social functioning and attenuates social support in ways that increase mental health vulnerability.