The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports and was led by Associate Professor Sawa Kurata of Fukui University.
Scientists used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine the white matter in the brains of 11 mothers who physically and emotionally abused their children.
Study results showed that abusive mothers had significantly reduced axial diffusion of water in the right corticospinal tract.
This means they may have difficulty controlling the strength of voluntary movements and dysregulated autonomic responses that are associated with impulsivity.
The study also included psychological surveys, the results of which showed a link between violence experienced in childhood and identified structural features of the brain. This situation points to the possible existence of an intergenerational chain of child abuse.
The findings have important implications for the development of effective strategies for remediation and prevention of child abuse and paves the way for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of such behavior.
Source: Ferra
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