My final grant topic choice is related to severe emotional trauma: "How does severe emotional trauma alter the brain and impact a person's mental health?" Specifically, I will be paying attention to the changes that can occur in the amygdala, hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex after a child has experienced a traumatic event. In addition to this, I will take a look at how anxiety and depressive disorders are likely to develop in children who experience traumatic events. Ultimately, I am concentrating on the changes that can occur in a child’s mind and body after they have gone through something traumatic. When it comes to traumatic events, I am interested in focusing on childhood trauma that results from domestic violence and/or sexual abuse.
