Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is the surgeon general of California who has done research at California Pacific Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, and was the former leader of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Project in Bayview-Hunter's Point. She's at the forefront of scientific research connecting childhood trauma to mental illness and leading causes of death such as heart disease and diabetes. She also advocates for treatments around emotional development such as relationship building, wellness, and diet, over medication.
Nadine Burke Harris: How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime
"[Trauma] affects areas like the nucleus accumbens, the pleasure and reward center of the brain that is implicated in substance dependence. It inhibits the prefrontal cortex, which is necessary for impulse control and executive function, a critical area for learning. And on MRI scans, we see measurable differences in the amygdala, the brain's fear response center. So there are real neurologic reasons why folks exposed to high doses of adversity are more likely to engage in high-risk behavior, and that's important to know."