Chapter 7

I found the connection between stress and brain maturation interesting. Especially how stress affects the development of emotions by impairing growth of the hypothalamus. I am intrigued because I have a few idiosyncrasies that suggest impaired hypothalamic function, including a lessened ability to feel emotion. I was a preteen when I realized I don’t have the typical range of emotional response in comparison to my peers. To my knowledge I was not abused as an infant or small child. I did however fail to thrive on my mother’s milk, and was in a sense starving before my mother gave up nursing and put me on formula. Lack of nourishment=stress. Also my mother did not feel well supported, and may have suffered from undiagnosed postpartum depression, though she has never disclosed that to me. I do know my mother as a stressed out person. My mother tells me, as an infant, I would rock my crib, which I now think may have been a self-comforting strategy to deal with stress. I am especially curious how negative and positive influences can affect brain and emotional development on the continuum from optimum health to diagnosable diseases and disorders.