Child Abuse Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Child Abuse, including details on family violence, examinations, long-term effects, psychiatrics disorders.

Neuroendocrine dysregulations in sexually abused children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Bicanic IA, Meijer M, Sinnema G, van de Putte EM, Olff M

University Medical Center Utrecht, Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma in Children and Adolescents, 3508 AB, Utrecht, The Netherlands. i.a.e.bicanic@umcutrecht.nl

Several studies provided evidence for neuroendocrine dysregulations in adults with a history of child sexual abuse. This review focuses on neuroendocrine studies in sexually abused children and adolescents, dating from January 1, 1990 to January 1, 2007 and obtained from a systematic Medline Indexed literature search to identify endocrine correlates of child sexual abuse. Results from studies on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (re)activity showed to be inconclusive. Studies on the sympathetic nervous system provided evidence for a higher baseline activity of this system in sexually abused children and adolescents. Factors contributing to divergent outcomes will be discussed and suggestions for future research will be presented.

Published 26 November 2007 in Prog Brain Res, 167: 303-6.
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