Experiencias Adversas en la Niñez: Modificaciones Neuro-Estructurales, Neuro-Funcionales y Comportamentales

A systematic review was conducted of publications on the relationship between exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and changes in brain structure and function through neuroimaging. The Scopus, PubMed, Scielo, and Mendeley databases were used to search for publications. This process yielded 849 articles containing the keywords used, of which 122 met the inclusion criteria. These studies tested 8498 people exposed to adversities such as maltreatment, sexual abuse, domestic violence, institutionalization, and poverty. The studies found significant alterations in the structure, function, and connectivity of 21 cortical and subcortical areas. The prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, and striatum were the most cited. These areas constitute four neuro-behavioral systems involved in sensory processing, affective assessment, social inferences, and executive control, whose exposure to ACE increases the risk of developing mental problems. The discussion addresses the importance of considering genetic variations, environmental conditions, and epigenetic moderation to understand how ACE alters neuro-behavioral systems. This approach will make it possible to design more efficient intervention and prevention strategies targeted at vulnerable populations. In conclusion, neuroimaging research on people exposed to childhood adversity demonstrates the impairment of neural networks involved in perceptual, affective, social, and executive processing.