Childhood abuse produces an adult PFC that is smaller, thinner, and with less gray matter, altered PFC activity in response to emotional stimuli, altered levels of receptors for various neurotransmitters, weakened coupling between both the PFC and dopaminergic “reward” regions (predicting increased depression risk), and weakened coupling with the amygdala as well, predicting more of a tendency to respond to frustration with anger (“trait anger”). And once again, all of these changes are associated with an adult PFC that isn’t at its best.[43]
