PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Understanding the profound yet hidden effects of neglect on white matter structures

Researchers use advanced neuroimaging to reveal how neglect alters children’s brain structures, providing scientific evidence for awareness, policy, and intervention

2025-08-29
(Press-News.org)

When we think of child abuse, physical violence or emotional cruelty often comes to mind first. However, the most common form of maltreatment is actually much quieter: neglect. Affecting three out of four children in substantiated abuse cases worldwide, child neglect involves the failure to provide basic necessities like adequate food, shelter, supervision, or protection. Despite causing documented long-term mental health problems and developmental issues, this ‘invisible’ form of maltreatment has received surprisingly little scientific attention.

A major challenge with neglect is that its effects often fly under the radar. Unlike physical abuse, which may leave visible marks, many neglected children don’t show obvious behavioral problems right away, making it difficult for teachers, doctors, and social workers to identify who needs help. Moreover, most brain research has focused on more overt forms of maltreatment, leaving a crucial question unanswered: how does neglect affect a developing child’s brain?

In an effort to address this knowledge gap, the research team at the Research Center for Child Mental Development at the University of Fukui, Japan, conducted a study using advanced neuroimaging techniques to examine the impact of neglect on the brain development in children. Their paper, published in Volume 15 of Scientific Reports on July 26, 2025, was  spearheaded by Professor Akemi Tomoda, who served as the corresponding author and provided the overall leadership that guided the study to completion.

The researchers compared the white matter microstructure of neglected children without other types of maltreatment to that of typically developing children. They used diffusion tensor imaging, a technique that excels at detecting even subtle abnormalities, to identify how neglect affects neural communication pathways.

The study involved 21 neglected children and 106 typically developing children. Through comprehensive whole-brain analysis, the researchers found that neglected children had significant abnormalities in three critical brain regions. These included the right corticospinal tract, which controls voluntary movement and motor skills; the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, which plays a key role in attention, language, and executive functions; and the left cingulum, which connects emotional and cognitive brain systems and is crucial for emotional regulation. Notably, the changes observed in these pathways were directly linked to conduct problems and behavioral difficulties. “Our findings demonstrate that even in the absence of physical or emotional abuse, neglect alone can have a profound impact on brain development,” highlights Dr. Tomoda.

Taken together, these changes in the brain identified by the research team provide objective markers that could help professionals identify children affected by neglect, even before serious behavioral or developmental problems become apparent. This is particularly valuable because the effects of neglect are often invisible to casual observers.

Moreover, the findings of the study could help reshape child protection policies and inform training programs for professionals. By understanding the interplay between neglect and its effect on behavior and the brain, it will be possible to design targeted interventions and therapies that can directly address the specific developmental challenges faced by affected children. “In the future, the newfound brain-based indicators may be used to monitor neurodevelopment and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, contributing to the establishment of new support models for neglected children,” concludes Dr. Tomoda.

By understanding neglect as a major form of adversity, this work highlights the urgent need for strengthened support systems for affected children. Hopefully, further investigations on the effects of this form of childhood maltreatment will ultimately lead to a better future for those who are at the receiving end of such abuse.

 

***

 

Reference
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-13363-y

 

About University of Fukui, Japan
The University of Fukui is a preeminent research institution with robust undergraduate and graduate schools focusing on education, medical and science, engineering, and global and community studies. The university conducts cutting-edge research and strives to nurture human resources capable of contributing to society on the local, national, and global level.

Website: https://www.u-fukui.ac.jp/eng/

 

About the Division of Developmental Support Research at the Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui
The Division of Developmental Support Research at the Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of child development and mental health. Our mission is to explore the biological, psychological, and social foundations of children’s growth, with a special focus on early detection, intervention, and prevention of developmental and mental health difficulties. By integrating neuroscience, clinical practice, and community-based research, the division promotes innovative approaches to foster resilience, well-being, and healthy development, contributing to improved support systems for children, families, and society.

 

Funding Information
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Early-Career Scientists [grant number 22K13677], JSPS KAKENHI Fostering Joint International Research [grant number 22KK0218], Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (Houga) [grant number 21K18499], AMED [grant number JP20gk0110052], JSPS KAKENHI Scientific Research (A) [grant number 19H00617], Grant-in-Aid for “Creating a Safe and Secure Living Environment in the Changing Public and Private Spheres” from the Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST)/Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX), Research Grant from Japan-United States Brain Research Cooperative Program, a research grant from the Strategic Budget to Realize University Missions (FY 2022), JSPS KAKENHI Scientific Research (B) [grant number 23K25644], JSPS KAKENHI Scientific Research (C) [grant number 21K02352], and JSPS KAKENHI Advanced Bioimaging Support (ABiS) [Grant Number JP22H04926]. 

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

SEOULTECH researchers develop revolutionary 3D-printed smart materials create high-performance pressure sensors for wearables

2025-08-29
Tactile sensors are widely used in robotics, prosthetics, wearable devices, and healthcare monitoring. These devices detect and convert external stimuli such as pressure and force into electrical signals, facilitating effective environmental detection. Scientists have made extensive efforts to improve the performance of tactile sensors in terms of sensing range and sensitivity. In this context, mechanical metamaterials are highly promising. Specifically, auxetic mechanical metamaterials (AMMs)—possessing ...

Pusan National University scientists develop self-deploying material for next-gen robotics

2025-08-29
The field of robotics has transformed drastically in this century, with a special focus on soft robotics. In this context, origami-inspired deployable structures with compact storage and efficient deployment features have gained prominence in aerospace, architecture, and medical fields. Thus far, experts have mainly utilized paper, thin glass, and polymers as foldable materials for such applications. However, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)—a state-of-the-art alternative—remains underexplored in terms of the accuracy and reliability of the fabrication process. Addressing this knowledge gap, a team of scientists ...

Remote screening for asymptomatic atrial fibrillation

2025-08-29
About The Study: In this remote randomized clinical trial, mail-based atrial fibrillation (AF) screening with an electrocardiogram patch in older patients at moderate to high risk of stroke led to a modest long-term increase in AF diagnosis at 2.5 years. Corresponding Authors: To contact the corresponding authors, email Rohan Wijesurendra, DPhil, rohan.wijesurendra@ndph.ox.ac.uk and Barbara Casadei, DPhil, b.casadei@imperial.ac.uk.  To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, ...

Inflammation may explain why women with no standard modifiable risk factors have heart attacks and strokes

2025-08-29
Mass General Brigham researchers find that many at-risk women who are missed by traditional screening techniques have high levels of the inflammatory marker hsCRP Treating these women with statins can lower these risks by 38% New clinical syndrome of “SMuRF-Less but Inflamed” introduced   Cardiologists have long known that up to half of all heart attacks and strokes occur among apparently healthy individuals who do not smoke and do not have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, the “standard modifiable risk factors” which doctors often call “SMuRFs.”  How to identify risk among the “SMuRF-Less” ...

Unusual carbon dioxide-rich disk detected around young star challenges planet formation models

2025-08-29
A study led by Jenny Frediani at Stockholm University has revealed a planet-forming disk with a strikingly unusual chemical composition: an unexpectedly high abundance of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in regions where Earth-like planets may one day form. The discovery, made using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), challenges long-standing assumptions about the chemistry of planetary birthplaces. The study is published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. “Unlike most nearby planet-forming disks, where water vapor dominates the inner regions, this disk is surprisingly ...

Treetop Tutorials: Orangutans learn how to build their beds by peering at others and a lot of practice!

2025-08-29
Warwick primatologists, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute, have shown that young orangutans develop their nighttime nest building skills via observational social learning - by closely watching others and then practicing these complex constructions. Nest-building is an often-overlooked behaviour in great apes, but for arboreal species, a well-built nest is essential to survival. Nests are responsible for keeping apes safe from predators, helping them stay warm, providing a secure place to sleep when up high and have even been shown ...

Scientists uncover key protein in cellular fat storage

2025-08-29
Scientists Uncover Key Protein in Cellular Fat Storage  [Sydney] – [29/08/2025] – UNSW research has shed light on how cells in the body manage and store fat, potentially offering new insights into health.   In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers identify a crucial protein, named CHP1, that acts as a central director in this process.  Fat, or lipids, are stored inside cells in small compartments called lipid droplets. These droplets are essential for energy storage and ...

Study finds significant health benefits from gut bugs transfer

2025-08-28
Eight years ago, 87 obese adolescents took part in a groundbreaking study to see whether fecal transfer (taking ‘good’ gut bacteria from healthy donors and giving them in capsule form to people with a less healthy microbiome) would make a difference to their health and weight.   Four years later, a follow-up study, published this week in the world-leading scientific journal Nature Communications , suggests some significant health benefits from that single gut bugs transfer. In particular, the original overweight teens ...

UC Riverside pioneers way to remove private data from AI models

2025-08-28
A team of computer scientists at UC Riverside has developed a method to erase private and copyrighted data from artificial intelligence models—without needing access to the original training data. This advance, detailed in a paper presented in July at the International Conference on Machine Learning in Vancouver, Canada, addresses a rising global concern about personal and copyrighted materials remaining in AI models indefinitely—and thus accessible to model users—despite efforts by the original creators to delete or guard their information with paywalls ...

Total-body PET imaging takes a look at long COVID

2025-08-28
Using total-body PET imaging to get a better understanding of long COVID disease is the goal of a new project at the University of California, Davis, in collaboration with UC San Francisco. The project is funded by a grant of $3.2 million over four years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.  About 1 in 10 COVID-19 survivors develop a range of long COVID symptoms that can last from months to years. How and why these symptoms develop isn’t completely known, but they have been linked to activated immune T cells getting ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Artificial intelligence takes the lead in revolutionizing cancer research explored at NFCR’s 2025 Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research and Entrepreneurship.

Switching memories on and off with epigenetics

This is your brain without sleep

3D DNA looping discovery in rice paves the way for higher yields with less fertilizer

Four subgroups of PCOS open up for individualized treatment

Perovskites reveal ultrafast quantum light in new study

New clues on how physical forces spread in neurons

Heart ‘blueprint’ reveals origins of defects and insights into fetal development

Some acute and chronic viral infections may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease

Flavanols in cocoa can protect blood vessel function following uninterrupted sitting - study

$100 Million gift will advance UCSF’s dementia research and care

The 4th Japan-India Universities Forum on 15 November

Arctic town Kiruna is colder after the move

Mayo Clinic study finds majority of midlife women with menopause symptoms do not seek care

Underwater robot ‘Lassie’ discovers remarkable icefish nests during search for Shackleton’s lost ship off Antarctica

Wearable robots you can wear like clothes: automatic weaving of “fabric muscle” brings commercialization closer

Researcher improves century-old equation to predict movement of dangerous air pollutants.

Heatwaves linked to rise in sleep apnoea cases in Europe

Down‑top strategy engineered large‑scale fluorographene/PBO nanofibers composite papers with excellent wave‑transparent performance and thermal conductivity

The Lancet: Climate change inaction being paid for in millions of lives every year

New insights reveal how coral gets a grip

Home treatment with IV antibiotics could relieve NHS pressure

AI ECG better detects severe heart attacks in emergency setting

Straw-based biochar and smart irrigation help maize thrive with less water and fertilizer

‘Broken’ genes a common factor in marsupial fur colour

Turning waste into clean water: Magnetic carbon materials remove toxic pollutants from wastewater

World Health Organization’s priorities shaped by its reliance on grants from donor organisations such as the Gates Foundation

One in ten people without coeliac disease or wheat allergy report sensitivity to gluten or wheat

How can (A)I help you?

Study finds new system can cut patient waiting times for discharge

[Press-News.org] Understanding the profound yet hidden effects of neglect on white matter structures
Researchers use advanced neuroimaging to reveal how neglect alters children’s brain structures, providing scientific evidence for awareness, policy, and intervention