Psychobiology of Attachment and Trauma—Some General Remarks From a Clinical Perspective

Abstract

Attachment refers to a psychobiological principle that is deeply rooted in evolutionary development; it is thought to contribute a major advantage in the survival of the social group. Within individual development it indicates a primary motivational system that guides the initial transactions between mother and baby and furthermore mediates affective attunement and regulation. Psychosocial learning, in close interaction with genetics and epigenetics, also develops a decisive foundation for further brain development of the infant. Finally, the attachment pattern established forms an enduring, relational context for later affective, cognitive, and social development of the child. As an unconsciously active matrix for future personal relationships it has a particular impact on the comprehensive psychological functions of empathy and mentalization. Early adverse and traumatic experiences or major emotional neglect may lead to different levels of security versus insecurity or disorientation-disorganization of the attachment pattern that corresponds to characteristic features of neurobiological regulation.

Editorial: Borderline Personality Disorders in Adolescents: Clinical Challenges and Recent Advances

“…Clinical studies on this topic recommended that both risk and protective factors and the complex and mutual interactions of temperamental traits, attachment style, adverse childhood experiences, and neurobiological abnormalities, should be considered (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). In addition, a careful examination of the role of each individual which is part of patient's life (parents, teachers, health providers) is required in order to improve the approach to detection and management of BPD in young age (6).…”

Zur Komorbidität von Posttraumatischer Belastungsstörung und Sucht in biopsychosozialer Perspektive

“…Sie werden prominent zu Zeiten demaskiert, in denen weitere Stressoren oder Traumata einwirken. Mit einem überaktiven System der Bedrohungswahrnehmung und - bewertung (kortiko-amygdalär), einem bedeutsam reduzierten Belohnungssystem (kortiko-basalganglionär) und einem stark eingeschränkten höher-kortikalen Kontroll- und Exekutivsystem (präfrontaler Kortex) werden nicht nur Vulnerabilitäten aus der frühen traumatische Entwicklungsgeschichte hinsichtlich weiterer Stressoren und Traumata in spätere Lebensabschnitte transportiert, es werden auch die Chancen zu deren erfolgreicher Verarbeitung drastisch verringert [ 112 ]. Die Konsequenzen von Bindungstraumata für eine besondere Vulnerabilität zu einem suchtfördernden Verhaltensstil sind in rezenten Übersichten zusammengestellt worden.…”

Disentangling the associations between past childhood adversity and psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of specific pandemic stressors and coping strategies

“…Individuals with a history of childhood adversity and trauma do not only display an inherent biological vulnerability to stressors ( Hammen et al, 2000 ; Heim et al, 2019 ; Nusslock & Miller, 2016 ), but also a propensity for employing maladaptive approaches to coping that increase the risk for psychopathology ( Dorresteijna et al, 2019 ; Filipas & Ullman, 2006 ). The maladaptive nature of coping is postulated to be shaped by the early adverse and traumatic experiences themselves, such as those involving abuse and neglect ( Lahousen et al, 2019 ; Thomson & Jaque, 2017 ). For example, in cases where the child maltreatment is perpetrated by a parental character, children may internalize a sense of deserving the mistreatment in an attempt to preserve their relationship with their attachment figure; a relationship that is pivotal to their survival ( Lahousen et al, 2019 ).…”