Child Neglect: When Absent Affection Shapes The Brain

Child neglect occurs when a child lacks basic care, such as nutrition, protection, and attention. This type of abuse is the most common and can seriously harm the developing brain. A study showed that neglected children exhibit changes in brain areas responsible for emotions and behavior, which increases the risk of emotional problems, social difficulties, and mental disorders later in life.

Child neglect occurs when a child lacks the basic care necessary for healthy growth, such as adequate nutrition, clothing, shelter, protection, and emotional attention. It is the most common form of abuse, accounting for over 70% of child abuse cases worldwide.

Despite being so frequent and causing serious consequences, it often receives less attention than other, more visible types of abuse, such as physical violence. The impacts of neglect affect not only a child's immediate well-being but also their long-term development, increasing the risk of mental illness, behavioral problems, and even physical illnesses in adulthood.

Children's brains are extremely sensitive during the first years of life. It is precisely during this period that experiences of care, stimulation, and affection shape how the connections between neurons are organized. When neglected, these connections can be damaged.

Previous studies have shown that neglect can alter both the shape of the brain (its structure) and the way different regions communicate with each other (functional connectivity). For example, neglected children have been observed to have changes in the corpus callosum, a region that connects the two hemispheres of the brain, and in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is linked to emotions and attention.

To further investigate this phenomenon, scientists use advanced brain imaging. One such technique is called diffusion tensor imaging. Simply put, it allows us to observe how water moves within brain tissue.

This movement follows the paths of nerve fibers, which function like "cables" connecting different areas of the brain. When water diffusion is altered, it indicates that the fibers may be damaged, less organized, or have defects in the myelin sheath, which is the substance that surrounds and protects neurons, accelerating communication between them. This technique is more sensitive than other forms of examination because it can reveal very subtle changes, invisible in conventional images.

In this study, researchers at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, analyzed the brains of two groups of children: 21 who had primarily suffered neglect (confirmed by official social services records) and 106 with typical development, who served as a comparison group.

The goal was to understand whether neglect, isolated from other types of abuse, was associated with specific changes in brain fibers. To this end, a detailed analysis of the entire brain was performed, looking for differences in key regions connecting areas linked to emotions, impulse control, and behavior.

The results showed that neglected children had marked changes in three main regions: the right corticospinal tract, the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the left cingulum. In these areas, water diffusion was greater than in the group without a history of neglect. This pattern suggests that nerve fibers were less intact, which may impair efficient communication between different parts of the brain.

A comparison of the brains of children who suffered neglect with those of typically developing (TD) children. Scientists analyzed white matter (WM), which is made up of fibers that connect different parts of the brain and enable communication between them. In the neglected group, these fibers showed changes in the way water moves within the brain tissue, particularly an increase in axial diffusivity, which indicates changes in the organization of these connections (GREEN). These differences appeared in areas important for emotions, behavior, and motor control, such as the cingulum, the corticospinal tract, and the superior longitudinal fasciculus. For example, L.CG, left cingulum; D.CST, right cortical spinal tract; D.SLF, right superior longitudinal fasciculus. In short, childhood neglect appears to leave visible marks on the brain connections that support cognitive and emotional functioning.

More importantly, these changes were linked to behavioral problems. Children with greater changes in these regions had more behavioral difficulties, such as impulsivity and social interaction problems. This reinforces the idea that child neglect, by affecting the brain's microstructure, directly contributes to emotional and social difficulties that appear in childhood and can persist into adulthood.

In summary, this study shows that child neglect, even when not accompanied by other forms of maltreatment, leaves detectable marks on children's brains. These marks are linked to behavioral and emotional difficulties, which helps explain why neglect is so damaging in the long term.

Understanding these changes is essential to creating interventions that help reduce harm and provide neglected children with better developmental conditions.

READ MORE:

White matter microstructure abnormalities in children experiencing neglect without other forms of maltreatment

Natasha Y.S. Kawata, Takashi X. Fujisawa, Kai Makita, Akiko Yao, Hidehiko Okazawa, and Akemi Tomoda 

Scientific Reports, volume 15, Article number: 27282 (2025) 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13363-y

Abstract: 

Childhood maltreatment can disrupt brain development, leading to vulnerabilities in white matter (WM) microstructure, compromised brain integrity, and various psychiatric disorders. Among different forms of maltreatment, neglect is the most common; however, limited data exist on its specific impact on the brain. This study utilized diffusion tensor imaging to examine WM microstructure differences between neglected children without other types of maltreatment (Neglect, n = 21) and typically developing controls (TD, n = 106). Additionally, the study explored the relationship between WM microstructure alterations and psychosocial problems observed in neglected children. Neglected children exhibited larger axial diffusion (AD) in regions such as the right corticospinal tract (R.CST), right superior longitudinal fasciculus (R.SLF), and left cingulum (L.CG) compared to typically developing children. Increased AD in the R.CST, L.CG, and R.SLF was associated with conduct problems. These findings suggest that alterations in WM microstructure contributed to behavioral symptoms in neglected children.