In a look at how major stressors during childhood can change a person's biological risk for psychiatric disorders, researchers at Butler Hospital have discovered a genetic alteration at the root of the association. The research suggests that childhood adversity may lead to epigenetic changes in the human glucocorticoid receptor gene. Alterations of this gene could underlie the associations between childhood adversity, stress reactivity, and risk for psychopathology.

 
Read the full report (PDF)