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Médecine thérapeutique / Pédiatrie

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Cognition and child maltreatment Volume 24, issue 2, April-May-June 2022

Authors
1 ToNIC, Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS
2 CHU Purpan, Hôpital des enfants, Unité de neurologie pédiatrique, 330 avenue de Grande Bretagne TSA 70034, 31059 Toulouse Cedex
Correspondance : Y. Chaix

The consequences of child abuse can be multiple in terms of physical and mental health with the risk to compromise the future in adulthood. Neurosciences are beginning to provide details on the effects on the cognitive and cerebral development of child victims. There seems to be a link between abuse and in particular the reduction of intellectual capacities, a deficit of linguistic capacities and an alteration of executive functions. These cognitive alterations could be underpinned by the structural and functional modifications highlighted at the cerebral level. Studies, especially longitudinal, are still needed to better clarify the involvement of pre-existing genetic factors in environmental adversity and better identify prognostic factors in order to improve children’s management.