Development/Plasticity/Repair Early Stress Is Associated with Alterations in the Orbitofrontal Cortex: A Tensor-Based Morphometry Investigation of Brain Structure and Behavioral Risk

Individuals who experience early adversity, such as child maltreatment, are at heightened risk for a broad array of social and health difficulties. However, little is known about how this behavioral risk is instantiated in the brain. Here we examine a neurobiological contribution to individual differences in human behavior usingmethodology appropriate for use with pediatric populations paired with an in-depthmeasure of social behavior.We show that alterations in the orbitofrontal cortex among individualswho experiencedphysical abuse are related to social difficulties. These data suggest a biological mechanism linking early social learning to later behavioral outcomes