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Under a Creative Commons license Open access AbstractPoor quality of the early infant-parent bond predicts later child problems. Infant-parent attachment has been suggested to influence brain development, but this association has hardly been examined. In adults, larger amygdala volumes have been described in relation to early attachment disorganization; neuroimaging studies of attachment in children, however, are lacking. We examined the association between infant-parent attachment and brain morphology in 551 children from a population-based cohort in the Netherlands. Infant-parent attachment was observed with the Strange-Situation Procedure at age 14 months and different brain measures were collected with magnetic resonance imaging at mean age 10 years. Children with disorganized infant attachment had larger hippocampal volumes than those with organized attachment patterns. This finding was robust to the adjustment for confounders and consistent across hemispheres. The association was not explained by cognitive or emotional and behavioral problems. Disorganized attachment did not predict any other difference in brain morphology. Moreover, children with insecure organized infant attachment patterns did not differ from those who were securely attached in any brain outcome. Causality cannot be inferred, but our findings in this large population-based study provide novel evidence for a long-term association between the quality of infant-parent attachment and specific brain differences in childhood. KeywordsHippocampus Infant attachment Brain morphology Neuroimaging Limbic system Magnetic resonance imaging Cited by (0)© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. Family and Children's Vol. 19, No. 3 Most of us are aware attachment is an important part of healthy development. Yet we may not know exactly why attachment is so important or understand how secure attachment occurs. Secure Attachment If a caregiver is consistently available, responsive, and nurturing, by the final months of the first year the child's attachment to that person is very likely to be "secure," meaning the child is confident the caregiver will always be available to help or save them (Bowlby, 1982; Wolpert, 1999). Attachment matters. Although it's most obvious when we're young, its powerful influence is felt throughout our lives. Benefits
of Secure Attachment Brain Development. The brain grows rapidly during the first three years of life. Experiences shape how the brain grows. When it is stimulated in positive ways, the brain forms connections related to those experiences. For example, talking, singing, and reading to children help form brain pathways related to language. Attachment affects brain development in two important ways. First, because the child feels safe and cared for, the brain can use its energy to develop pathways crucial for higher level thinking. Secure attachment is particularly related to the development of the frontal cortex, which is responsible for decision making, judgment, and reasoning (DeBellis & Thomas, 2003; Dozier, et al., 2008). Second, by providing a "home base" from which a child can safely explore the world, secure attachment allows the child to have more varied experiences and therefore build more connections in the brain. Social & Emotional Development. Attachment to a primary caregiver is the foundation of all future relationships. When there is a secure attachment, you learn how to trust others, how to respond emotionally, and how others will respond to you (Bowlby, 1982). In addition, secure attachment leads to the development of empathy. If a child sees herself as worthwhile and deserving of care, she is also able to see others that way. Only when a child believes her own basic needs will be met can she attend to others' needs. The child works first to please her primary caretaker and over time extends her concerns to siblings, friends, classmates, community members, and, as her moral development continues, to people she has never met. Self-Regulation. When caregivers respond to them, infants learn to manage their own feelings and behavior. When infants are overwhelmed, stress hormones are released in the brain. When caregivers respond with soothing behaviors, they help the child reduce these hormones. Over time, the brain develops pathways that allow this soothing behavior to kick in during periods of stress. Eventually the child is able to calm themselves when they are angry or disappointed. Trauma and Attachment Children with trauma histories may have a wide range of problems related to lack of secure attachment; these include developmental delays, difficulty with emotional regulation, impaired social relationships, aggression, low self-esteem, and depression (Hildyard & Wolfe, 2002; Erickson & Egeland, 2002; Shipman, et al., 2005). Supporting Secure Attachment Educate. Make sure caregivers know why secure attachment matters and the behaviors that build it. Messages to send include (Dozier, et al., 2008; Wittamer, 2011):
Provide concrete supports. Overwhelmed caregivers have difficulty focusing on the needs of children and are not as effective at reading and responding to cues. Providing concrete supports and resources that help caregivers manage stress allows them to focus on their children's needs. In addition, young and inexperienced parents may need to build their knowledge of parenting and child development. Although parenting programs can help with this, they are not all alike. Look for programs, such as the Incredible Years, Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up, and Circle of Parents, that have a specific focus on cultivating skills that build attachment (Wittamer, 2011). References for this and other articles in this issue What part of the brain forms attachments?Attachment is associated in the brain primarily with the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin. This emotion system evolved to motivate individuals to sustain their affiliations long enough to complete the parental duties of their species.
How does attachment relate to brain development?The brain development people have looked at structures and not at behavioral consequences." Attachment theory holds that secure attachments, and the attuned infant-caregiver interactions that produce them, are crucial to healthy psychological development.
Which part of the brain is responsible for building attachments and emotional development?The limbic system is a group of interconnected structures located deep within the brain. It's the part of the brain that's responsible for behavioral and emotional responses.
What does attachment influence?Babies and young children who have attachment issues may be more likely to develop behavioural problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or conduct disorder (Fearon et al, 2010)14. Children who have attachment issues can have difficulty forming healthy relationships when they grow up.
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Attachment experiences impact what part of the brain
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