This edition of the InBrief series outlines basic concepts from the research on the biology of stress which show that major adversity can weaken developing brain architecture and permanently set the body's stress response system on high alert. Science also shows that providing stable, responsive environments for children in the earliest years of life can prevent or reverse these conditions, with lifelong consequences for learning, behavior, and health.
For more information about the InBrief series and the Center on the Developing Child, please visit:
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/library/briefs/inbrief_series/