Adoption Under One Roof

Early child abuse and severe neglect causes permanent damage to the brain and increases the future risk of depression and suicide. While many had good reason to assume that child abuse causes permanent damage, like those of us who live with these victims, recent research has documented and isolated a specific gene that is damaged. Michael Meaney and colleagues at McGill University in Canada carefully examined 36 brains of people who died suddenly. The team examined 12 brains of accident victims who died suddenly, 12 brains of people who committed suicide with a known history of child abuse, as well as 12 suicide victims without a history of abuse.

The researchers found obvious changes in the brains of those suicide victims abused as children in comparison to the brains of other sudden death victims without a history of child abuse. This documentation helps explain why people who experienced abuse or neglect as children are more susceptible to depression, mental health issues, and suicide. Further research may discover treatment options to help child abuse victims recover.

Genes specifically associated with a stress pathway called hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function were examined. The research team found the neuron-specific glucocorticoid receptor or NR3C1 promoter was different in abuse victims. Laboratory animals subjected to early abuse and neglect showed changes in this gene as well. Those suicide victims who suffered from childhood abuse and neglect had lower activity in this gene. Those victims of sudden death without a history of abuse showed no differences in this gene.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia.

• When Should You Have a Foster Child Removed From Your Home
• Define Success When Raising an Adopted Teenager
• Adopted Child’s Arresting Officer Gives Parenting Tips
• The Ranch for Kids Project Intervenes for Disrupted Russian Adoptions
• Why Would a Parent Adopt and Then Abuse a Child

Suggested Articles:

• How to Organize a Baby Room While Waiting to Adopt
• How Abuse Affects Relationships
• How to Clean a Teen's Room
• How to Discipline a Violent Child
• How to Homeschool a Child With Cerebral Palsy
• How to Determine Primary & Secondary Health Insurance Coverage

  

   

  

   

• Snipe eBay Auctions with Bidnip

  Would you like to Go Green and stop contributing to landfills? Would you do it if you could buy green products at wholesale prices cheaper than name brand products? What if you could make enough every month to get your products for free? This business is showing double digit growth during this depressed economy. If you want to make the effort you can earn well-over a $100,000 a year. Pay a yearly membership fee to start $27, sort of like joining Sam’s Club or Cosco for a year. This is not a scam, both fostermommy and Julia Fuller have been members for over a year. Email either of us to ask how you can join.